Come What May, As Long As it Comes on Dragon Back
by Neko Nials
Summary: After the tragic death of Weyrleader D'las, Sutaketa Weyr awaits the hatching of golden Arestath's clutch. Meanwhile, a simple girl, Kalin, is searched and brought to the Weyr. Then it all begins... Teen for language and more mature themes. On Hiatus.
1. Prologue: Darkness and Sadness

**A/N: Hey guys. Just a note to let you all know, I am terrible at prologues. This one is rather short, as you can see. Just letting y'all know that the chapters are longer, I promise. So… I'll stop impeding you from your reading. --Neko**

**Prologue**

It was dark. Night surrounded Sutaketa Weyr. The Weyrwoman, Rentus, looked out her window of her Weyr, to see her large queen, Arestath, lying on the Hatching Grounds, protecting her eggs, still a duller shade of gold than she should be. Rentus closed her eyes at the remembrance. D'las. D'las was gone. Toranth was gone too. He had left to follow his rider into death. She felt a single tear run down her face. Now the Weyr was without a Weyrleader. Rentus sighed and walked to her bed, sitting on it. It had been a long time since she got any sleep.

She could feel the warmth of her covers, and how inviting they were, but she could not get rest from them. She and D'las had shared this bed. For the five months they had together, this had been their room. She got up, tears falling, and ran. She ran past weyrs of other dragonriders, past the kitchens, and out into the Weyrbowl. She kept running and running until she found herself clinging to her Arestath's golden hide. The large golden queen slowly turned her head and looked at her rider.

_Mine. It will be all right. Hush now. You'll wake the rest of the Weyr._

_Arestath! He's gone! He's gone!_

_I know. Hush. Everything will be all right._

_No! He's gone! D'las is gone! I'm alone!_

_You are never alone! I am here. You will never be alone._ Rentus looked up at her queen, then slowly slid to her knees, then fell on her side. She curled up in a small ball next to her queen. Arestath extended a wing, enclosing her rider next to her body. The Queen could feel her rider's breath steadying. She was asleep.

The queen looked up to the starry sky. Yes, Toranth was gone, but for as long as her rider remembered, so would she. Arestath looked at her eggs, and the queen egg between her front legs. These would be Toranth's legacy. These small dragonets would be his spirit throughout the Weyr.

Arestath, at peace now that her rider was finally getting some sleep, lay her head down, curling it by her wing. _Sleep well mine, _she said before the Queen herself drifted into sleep.

Far off, in the skies of Pern, a single shooting star could be seen, as a single, bright flash filled the sky for a single instant. Yet, the watch dragon and his rider had been asleep, and did not notice. The only creatures who did were the herd-beasts and the fire-lizards.


	2. Chapter One: Suprise, Suprise

**Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue. Everyone happy! The concept belongs to the wonderful Anne McCaffery. But all the characters, dragons, and even Sutaketa Weyr is mine and mine alone. Got it? –growls- But Dragonriders of Pern is Anne's.**

Chapter One

The sunlight nearly blinded her as she opened her eyes. Kalin groaned and pulled the covers over her head. A small cheep rang in her ears and she groaned again. "Tort! I'm trying to stay asleep!" She pulled the covers off her head to look at her small blue flit. He cheeped again and flew to the bed stand, next to Sukai, her bronze flit, and Kita, her queen. How she'd acquired this fair was entirely irrelevant, but there they were. Kita scolded Tort and flew over to Kalin's shoulder.

Kalin grinned and stroked the little queen's eye ridge. She looked at Sukai, who was struggling to stay awake. She shook her head at the bronze, then stood up and looked out her window. The members of Far North hold were starting to get up. Kalin shivered, remembering suddenly that it was winter. Being the farthest north hold in all of Pern meant the coldest winters. She quickly went and pulled on her heavy clothes and dashed out the door. Enali, her foster mother, would be calling her soon.

It was no mystery to Kalin who her real parents were. A simple green rider and a brown rider. Her birth mother, Noia, along with her father, C'pir, had decided it would be best for her to grow up in a Hold and not in the Weyr. Kalin didn't fault them for it. She liked living at Far North hold. If she hadn't lived here, she wouldn't have met Deret. Deret, along with some of the other Hold children, had accepted her as Weyrborn and didn't care about her heritage. Deret hadn't liked her at first, but he had finally learned, after 10 years of dislike, that Kalin was no different than he.

"Kalin! For the love of the first egg girl where are you?" Kalin sighed when Enali's voice reached her.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back and rushed down the steps, Tort, Sukai and Kita flying behind. She stopped right in front of her foster mother, grinning.

"Where were you child?"

"Getting up."

"As per usual. Hurry up! Go off and get some firewood unless you want the whole Hold to have icicles hanging off their noses!" Kalin nearly laughed at the thought and ran off, coming up next to Deret.

"Took you long enough," he muttered as they grabbed hatchets. Kalin grinned at her tall friend. At last, they were both seventeen turns and there was a clutch on Sutaketa Weyr's Sands. It had been so long since anyone from Far North hold had been chosen on Search and now there was a chance.

"Come on," she said, grabbing a lit torch from on of its holders on the wall and walked toward the woods. It was a clear day, and snow still spotted the ground. As they made their way, Kalin thought about herself. Sometimes she wondered if looks had anything to do with the dragons' preference. It seemed like all dragonriders were good looking. She had decided many-a-time that she was not, though she was often told otherwise. She was lacking in height, and skinny. She was pale, as many of the Northerners were and had dark brown hair which she kept tied in a braid and her eyes were ice blue. She had no freckles and had two gold hoops attached to her ear lobes. Right now she had her belt with her knife attached, in case she had to use it in the woods. She had also grabbed her favorite walking staff, which was made out of a twisted, but sturdy branch.

Now Deret, she decided, could be a dragonrider easily. He had a mop of black hair and was tall and muscular. He too had blue eyes, but his weren't as sharp as hers, but not a watery blue. He had a well formed face and was always tailed by his green flit, Irthos. Deret looked over at Kalin and grinned. He also had the whitest teeth she had seen.

"Come on," she said again and started running, laughing all the way. Then, an image flashed in her mind. Three dragons, one green, a brown and, she gasped, a bronze! She turned to Deret. "Search riders!" she said and turned, running back to the hold. It took a minute for the message to sink into Deret, and for him to receive the image from Irthos until he started running. He caught up to her and they both skidded to a halt, Kalin slipping on ice in the hold square.

Kalin let out a small shriek as she slipped and fell, drawing a small laugh from one of the dragonriders. One of them walked over and held out a hand. "Careful. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." Kalin winced. She had landed on her backside. She looked up at her helper and noticed his shoulder knots. He was the bronze rider. "I'm S'ryc, rider of bronze Kelth." The bronze turned his head and blinked. S'ryc smiled. "Off you go. I assume you're old enough to be eligible for Search." She nodded and went to stand next to Deret.

The green rider looked up at her dragon. "S'ryc, I think my Vyth has found someone." S'ryc smiled.

"Well who Ri?" The green rider walked up to Deret.

"This young man. What's your name?"

"D-Deret," he stuttered. She grinned.

"Well Deret, Vyth has decided that you would make a fine rider." Kalin looked at her friend. He looked back and shrugged. The brown rider looked at the rest of the youths.

"So you say Ceth," the brown rider muttered and walked up to a small set of brother and sister, the sister was 14 and the brother was just 11. "These two have been chosen as well." He looked at S'ryc. "You know what Rentus said. Four from each hold. More if possible." S'ryc nodded.

"And Kelth has made his choice." He looked at Kalin. "Maybe putting her on a dragon would stop her from slipping on the ice." He grinned. Kalin froze. She had been Searched! She and Deret had been searched! Kita, Sukai and Tort came out of no where and chittered above her head.

"O-only if they can go too," she said, pointing to her fair. Deret nodded.

"Mine too." Irthos peeped from his shoulder. S'ryc smiled.

"Of course. Now go get your things. Off with you!" Kalin looked at Deret and, uncharacteristically hugged him. He pulled her off him with a look of mock disgust.

"Go get your things," he said and went off to his own room. Kalin skipped to hers, quickly packing several things. She took one last look around her room, smiled, and dashed outside again.

As she was running down the hallway she ran head on into Enali. She looked up into her foster mother's eyes, which were wet with happy tears. Kalin grinned and wrapped her arms around her in a fierce hug. Enali hugged her back, resting her cheek on Kalin's shoulder. "You'll do just fine," she said. "I'll be there for the Hatching. I promise." Kalin looked up and Enali kissed her forehead. "Off with you now! Wouldn't want them to leave without you!" Kalin grinned and ran off, and into the square.

She stopped, careful not to slip on any ice. She had packed her warmest clothes and her summer clothes, even though summers up north were cool, rather than warm. She looked up S'ryc and Kelth and grinned. "Ready?" S'ryc asked. She nodded and walked over. He helped her mount. Kelth turned his head and looked at her with gleaming eyes. Kalin was tentative to grasp the neck ridge, worried that she would hurt Kelth.

_You won't hurt me._

Kalin jumped at the voice in her head. It sounded oddly like S'ryc.

_We are one. Don't worry. Grip tightly, we are going up now._

Kalin decided that it _was_ Kelth talking to her and not just her imagination, because in that moment, Kelth's wings extended and with one large beat of his wings, they were airborne. Kalin now held on without hesitation. Flying was the most exhilarating, and yet the most frightening thing she had ever experienced. The feel of a strong body beneath her, reassuring, yet daring. The feel of the wind, howling, yet whispering. The earth below, stable, yet worlds away. She laughed for the joy and the wonder of it all.

_Hold on. I will be right here, but we are going _between_. Do not let go._

Kalin obliged, and suddenly, the wonderful world she was in was gone. She was enveloped in blackness and despite her warmest clothes, she was chilled instantly to the bone. The most frightening thing though, was that she couldn't feel Kelth or see S'ryc. She was alone!

_You are not alone. I am here._ And suddenly, Kalin once again felt the sunlight grace her skin. She was shivering and looked around like it would be the last time before she saw the world again before going back into the blackness. S'ryc looked back at her.

"You okay?" She nodded weakly. "We'll get you down and get you some _klah_. You look like you need it." She nodded again, grateful when Kita, Sukai and Tort all wrapped their warm bodies around her.

Kalin once again felt the wind rushing and distinctly felt her belly drop. They weren't landing, they were falling! She could hear S'ryc yelling, "KELTH! NOT WITH A CANDIDATE ON!" At once, their descent slowed with the snapping open of Kelth's wings. She held on, a wild, frightened expression on her face. When they finally landed, it took some coaxing on S'ryc's part to get her off, so tightly were her hand clasped to Kelth's neck ridge. Kelth turned his head to look at her.

_I'm sorry I scared you._ He said, his tone chagrin. Kalin managed a smile and patted the bronze on the nose. She felt a slight piece of her, still shocked that a dragon was talking to her.

_You'll find a lot of things here are different, young Kalin._ Kalin jumped. That was not Kelth's voice! It was more feminine. She looked around at the dragons perched on the Weyrledge. One in particular caught her eye.

_Did you just talk to me?_ She asked the green.

_Yes. I am Iryth. We can all talk to you Kalin. And you can hear us._


	3. Chapter Two: Welcome to the Weyr

**A/N: Hey peoples. Just to clear some things up. The Holds of Sutaketa Weyr are Akuma Hold, Ankoku Hold, Suno Hold, and Far North Hold. This is set on another timeline a long time after AVIAS would have been, but for my writing purposes and for my sanity, I am not going to try to tie this in with any of Anne's timeline. Just FYI. And oh yeah, I do not own Dragonriders of Pern in any way, shape, or form. **

_You mean… Kelth, is she right?_

_Yes._

_Then why didn't I hear you when you were Searching?_

_Because you weren't ready yet. Now you are. Now hush, here comes the Candidate Master._

Kalin looked over and saw a small, portly man come, more or less, waddling over. He was short, and well rounded, but she could tell that it wasn't unhealthiness. It was pure muscle. He had thinning mouse colored hair and a thin nose, which looked out of place on his face. He also had a long beard, which was another out of place sight for the Weyr.

"S'ryc! What did I tell you and Kelth?"

"Not to scare the Candidates away. I know S'zen, I know. Kelth got away from himself is all. Ah, Kalin," he turned to her. "This is your Candidate Master, S'zen."

"Rider of brown Shyxth," S'zen filled in. "I can introduce myself." Kalin chuckled. Even if this man looked tough, she could tell that he was just as unstable as one of the older men back home. A beating of wings brought her attention back to the dragons. A large brown was landing. She could hear the whispers in her head as Iryth and Kelth told Shyxth about Kalin. She grinned and turned back to the Candidate Master. She could hear the other two dragons arrive carrying Deret and the siblings. She looked over at Deret as she walked up.

Deret was as pale as a ghost and, Kalin couldn't help but notice, needed a change of pants. "_Between_," was all he said in explanation. Kalin grinned and nodded. She understood, but he had reacted more so than she had.

"Now listen up Candidates!" Kalin turned her attention back to S'zen. The man was reintroducing himself to Deret and the siblings. He explained where their rooms would be and that after they unpacked, they could go to the kitchens for a snack. As Kalin and the other two started to walk off, he held Deret behind. Kalin waited and saw Deret blush and shake his head. Dragonriders passing by were laughing, politely, but not unnoticeably. They recognized a first time _between_er. Deret hurried to catch up with Kalin. He was red in the face from embarrassment.

"Come on. We'll go and get you changed," she said in a mocking voice, grinning. He gave her a sound look and lightly punched her arm.

"Not funny in the least Kal," he said.

"I have a nickname now?" she raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Let's go. We don't want everyone in the Weyr to see your pants." _The Weyr. I'm finally here!_ Kalin looked around her and smiled. She was finally at Sutaketa Weyr! She grinned and then laughed, Sukai, Kita and Tort flying around her head, warbling.

xxx

Rentus was sitting on one of the highest tiers in the Hatching Grounds, looking at the new arrivals. They seemed so oblivious and happy. Inside, all Rentus felt was sadness and loss. The whole Weyr knew how hard she was taking D'las's death. Out of all the bronzes that had chased in Arestath's last flight, Toranth was the only one her golden queen would accept, and D'las the only bronze rider Rentus liked. Rentus found a single tear running down her cheek, but no others. It seemed her eyes were dried up.

Rentus looked down at Arestath and gave a small smile. She still had yet to wash the sand out of her hair. Maybe what she did need was a nice bath. She did need to relax.

_That's what I've been trying to tell you. Now go. I will be fine._

_All right._ Rentus got up and quickly exited the Hatching Grounds. She avoided the looked of the other riders and weyrfolk until she reached her room. There she grabbed a large, fluffy towel and a change of clothes and walked into her own bathing room. She found water already drawn and hot. There was a note from the Headwoman, Lorleru. Rentus smiled and quietly slipped into the warm water. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes letting the water slowly move around her.

Rentus opened her eyes and grabbed a handful of sweetsand and scrubbed herself, aware of how she had neglected herself while in her mourning. She then scrubbed her hair, letting it return to its blonde shine. Finally, long after the water had cooled, Rentus got out of the tub and wrapped the towel around her. She looked in the mirror and saw the large circles around her green eyes, which were once sharp with ambition. It was there Rentus made a decision. It was time to change.

She grabbed her clothes, a pair of blue breeches and a blue shirt. She buttoned it and attached a gold loop to her right ear. She strapped D'las's old belt around her and gently grabbed a golden sash. As Weyrwoman, she would wear this along with her shoulder knots. She tied it around herself, then walked into her weyr. She grabbed a necklace with a silver dragon's claw attached to the end of a brown cord, another memento of D'las. She tied on a tin pair of sandals, despite the cold. She would spend her time on the Hatching Ground, which was plenty warm.

As she was about to walk out the door, a scrap of cloth caught her eye. She immediately softened her new, hardened face. It would have been a blanket, for her and D'las's child, if there was to be one. It was light blue with darker spots. She grabbed it a tired it around her short cropped hair, a fierce expression on her face. Rentus was born again.

xxx

Kalin sighed as she set her bags on a cot. Her room was across from the boy's half of the hall and Deret's room. She looked around her home until the eggs hatched and grinned. It would do. She slowly walked over to a set of pegs, where the white robes of candidacy, warn with use. She fingered the soft cloth and smiled. She heard a knock on the door and opened it. It was Deret, wearing a new pair of pants.

"Ready? I'm hungry!" Kalin laughed and nodded, walking out and closing the door behind her. She was sharing her room with two other girls, the sister from her Hold and another she didn't know. She felt Kita settle on her right shoulder, Sukai on her left and Tort on her head. She looked up at the blue flitt, who put his head in front of her face and cheeped. Kalin laughed and started walking beside Deret toward the Kitchens.

When they finally arrived, Kalin grabbed a fruit tart and a glass of _klah_. Deret did the same and followed her to sit next to Kalin's roommates, as well as another boy. Kalin grinned at them. "Hello. I'm Kalin," she said, grinning. "And this is Kita, Sukai and Tort." She pointed to each in turn.

"Chriser," said the boy Kalin didn't know. "What hold are you from?"

"Far North, you?"

"I'm from Akuma." Chriser smiled at Kalin.

"If anyone gives a wherry dropping, I'm Loan," the girl sharing a room with Kalin and the sister from her hold said. "Weyrbred."

"We already know you Kalin, but for the sake of everyone else I'm Nysil and my little brother here is Raskel." Nysil grinned and tousled her brother's hair. Raskel groaned, like he would have wanted anything else but to be Searched with his sister. "We're from Far North, with Kalin. And Deret of course." Deret grinned and nodded.

Loan suddenly hushed them as S'zen waddled into the Kitchen. He cleared his throat and looked at them. "Once again, greetings Candidates! I'm sure you are all anxious to see the eggs, and I have just received word from one of the Wingleaders that Weyrwoman Rentus is letting us see them. Now I must warn you, she is still getting over the loss of her weyrmate and Weyrleader, D'las. Please, do not mention this. Now follow me in an orderly fashion." He turned and some Candidates got up and began following. Kalin got up as well and started following, Loan on her one side. Nysil was talking to Raskel and Deret was whispering to Chriser. Kalin turned to Loan.

"We didn't hear about the Weyrleader's death," she said, a little shocked. Loan shrugged.

"I have no clue why, but the Weyr tried to keep it quiet, like it was just a Threadfall accident." She shrugged again. Kalin looked ahead as they finally reached the Weyrbowl. She looked up at the dragons.

_Iryth?_ She tried tentatively. She got no response. Maybe she was out.

_Iryth isn't here, but I am._ Rentus analyzed the new voice in her head. It was a richer and deeper tone than the others, less playful than Kelth's and more reserved than Iryth's, yet still just as feminine. _I am Myriath. You shall meet me soon enough. My Mine is the Weyrling Master. Now go and see the eggs._ Kalin felt the connection break off and looked ahead. This would take some getting used too.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, especially when Kalin tried to talk to the dragon's she knew and failed, they reached the entrance to the Hatching Grounds. Kalin could see the queen's golden form and almost gasped. She wouldn't even _try_ talking to her. S'zen turned. "Come, it is time for you to see the eggs. Do not harm them and if you do, I am not responsible for what Arestath or Rentus might do to you." Kalin blanched. What if she accidentally hurt them?

_Then be extra careful if you are clumsy._ Came a draconic voice in her head, which Kalin didn't recognize. She felt a little taken aback. She was never clumsy and, whosever dragon it was, she wanted to correct them.

_I'm not clumsy!_

_Then you will not cause harm. You were Searched. If you came with the pretense to harm my children, then leave now. I should hate to kill one of my children's chosen and one who can hear us._

Kalin looked up in utter disbelief at golden Arestath, eyes wide. She hadn't needed to not talk to the queen, for the queen had spoken to her!

_Don't expect it often._

**A/N: Thanks to my reviewer! Keep reading and please review!!!! –pleads-**

**Cathrl- Thanks a lot! And yes I know I made it kind of obvious… I changed the summary so it wouldn't stick out. And don't worry, my plans for Kalin and Deret will not be the same-old same-old happy-happy joy-joy plot… ;D**

**Until next time! -- Neko**


	4. Chapter Three: Touching and Tragedy

A/N: Yet another chapter… since I've got time

**A/N: Yet another chapter… since I've got time. It'll be a while after this until I update again, just FYI. I have musical practice for three weeks, for two different musicals… -keels over- plus homework –coughs- -dies- -comes back to life- Anyway, I've heard a lot about my typos… -dies again- I was having an off night and I updates chapter two… so… now the next chapter**

**UPDATE 9/30/2008: Fixed errors.**

**Chapter Three**

Kalin looked up at Arestath in awe. The golden queen spared her a glance before looking back at her eggs. Loan noticed her lagging behind and grabbed her by the sleeve and dragged her along before Kalin regained her senses. She could feel the heat growing, wondering on how they kept the Hatching Grounds so warm, especially during these winter months. She was about to ask S'zen, when a woman with sharp green eyes walked up.

"S'zen," she said. Kalin noticed her voice had a prick of sadness in it, but was mostly full of determination. Kalin looked at the woman and knew at once who she was. This was the Weyrwoman.

"Weyrwoman Rentus," S'zen replied, moving so she could see the candidates. "These are all the candidates we could get for the Hatching. Many have withdrawn since the incident." Rentus nodded, looking at the candidates. Now that she was under the Weyrwoman's scrutiny, Kalin noticed how small the group was. A brief fear crossed her mind that there wouldn't be enough candidates for the eggs.

_There will be enough._

Kalin looked up at Arestath again. The queen's tone was confident and Kalin believed her. Rentus sharply turned her head and glared at Kalin.

"Candidate! What is you name?" The Weyrwoman's tone was sharp. Kalin blanched.

"K-Kalin," she replied. As the Weyrwoman's eyes connected with her own, Kalin not more acutely noticed that only Kita was still with her.

"Hold?"

"Far North."

"Come with me." The Weyrwoman turned to the other candidates. "The rest of you, go ahead and begin touching the eggs." She turned and walked off. Kalin gulped and followed. The Weyrwoman walked over to Arestath. "You say this one?" Arestath looked down at Kalin. The queen rumbled, her eyes whirling green. Rentus looked at Kalin. "Arestath says you need to tell me something."

For the second time in a few minutes Kalin blanched. She had planned on keeping her newfound ability a secret. She had heard about the type of attention the other people who could hear all dragons had received. She didn't want that. Kita cheeped in her ear and Kalin straightened.

"I can hear every dragon." Kalin felt the words come out of her mouth, but didn't remember saying them. It was like her body had taken things into its own hands. Rentus gave a small smile.

"Can you now?"

"Yes. I first talked to bronze Kelth, then green Iryth. I have also spoken with Myriath and, begging my pardon, your queen. Technically she spoke to me first but…" she trailed off, aware that she was rambling.

"Have you always had this ability?"

"Kelth says I have, but I have never heard voices in my head until I got on Kelth."

"Have you ever come in contact with a dragon before Kelth?"

"I have three flits."

"But a dragon?"

"No Weyrwoman." Kalin looked at the woman. She was smiling.

"Enough interrogation. Go and touch the eggs. I see some want to come and see the queen eggs. Now Arestath, you promised."

_Fine._

Kalin smiled and, after giving a bow to the two, walked over to Deret. He had a hand on an egg that was far to the side. Kalin grinned. He had the most interesting look on his face. Next to the egg he was touching was another egg, smaller than his.

Deret looked up at her. "What was that all about?" he asked, abruptly taking his hand off the egg. Kalin shrugged.

"I'll tell you later," Kalin replied and tentatively put her hand on the egg she was by. It was warm! She took her hand off, surprised. Deret chuckled.

"While you were off talking to the Weyrwoman, we found out that they have special heaters that keep the sands very warm. They have to be, with the winters. The other weyrs are heated too, but not our barracks. We have to light fires." He shrugged and went back to his egg. Kalin stared at the back of his head for a moment then put her hand on the egg again.

She was amazed. To think such a creature as Kelth or Arestath could come out of something this small was astounding to her. She gently caressed the egg then became acutely aware of how hard it was. "Deret?"

"Huh?"

"Don't they seem a little hard?"

"S'zen said they would hatch soon, but I guess…" he trailed off and looked over at S'zen. He was calling the candidates back to him. Kalin sighed, sad that she got to spend so little time with the eggs and walked over. As they got into twos again, Kalin stood next to Loan. The girl avoided her eyes.

xxx

"Do you think she'll get the queen?"

_If you want my honest opinion…_

"I always do."

_No._

"But, she can hear all of you!"

_I know these things mine. The queen is not for her._

"Does anyone else know? Kelth's rider? Or Iryth's? or…"

_No. Only the dragons and you know._

"For now, I think it's best that we keep it that way."

_Yes._

xxx

Loan stared at the ceiling. Kalin and Nysil were both bathing after their first set of chores. To Loan in was nothing new and she now lay in her room on her bed. She had been doing chores all of her life. She sighed and rolled over, looking at the other two beds. A small blue flit suddenly burst from _between_ and flew over, landing on Loan's pillow, next to her.

"Hello Liak," she said to the little flitt. The blue cheeped then flew to the wall, then back to Loan, tugging on her golden hair. Loan rolled her eyes and got off her bed. Liak cheeped and flew out the door. Loan shook her head and followed her flit.

Liak flew out of the Candidate Barracks and into the Weyrbowl. It was dark out, though it was early in the evening. The longest night of the year had finally arrived. Loan looked up at the sky, but instead of seeing the stars clearly, they were momentarily blocked out by a bright flash. Loan's eyes grew wide and she fell to her knees. "No… this isn't possible!"

Dragons were roaring, adding to the commotion that was growing in the Weyrbowl. Candidates, Weyrlings, Dragon Riders, Weyrfolk and Drudges were running into the Weyrbowl. Weyrlings and Riders were frantically trying to calm their dragons and find out what happened. Every dragon eye was red with anger and confusion. Loan was assaulted with memories, all bombarding at her at once. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and all went black…

xxx

"When do you think she'll wake up?"

"It's been two days, it has to be soon."

"She was hit quite hard."

"Do we even know what that was?"

"Can you all BE QUIET?"

The voiced stopped. Loan slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the infirmary, lying on a bed, a tight bandage wrapped around her head. There was Kalin, Nysil, Raskel, Deret and Chriser, all sitting by her bed. Loan struggled to sit up straight.

"Oooooh. My head." Loan put and hand to her forehead. "What happened?" She looked at Kalin.

"Well, after the flash, the dragons started acting up," she said.

"An understatement to say the least," Chriser said under his breath.

"Everyone started rushing toward the bowl. Someone must have hit you in the back of the head by accident. You've been out for two days!" Loan groaned. There was a pause, in which she noticed that Kalin's eyes were unfocused. Loan had been in a Weyr long enough to recognize that look.

"What happened while I was out?" she asked.

"Nothing, except a lot of confusion," Chriser said.

"Nothing I would miss?" Deret caught her look first.

"My name's still Deret. Chriser and Raskel haven't changed. The Hatching's predicted to be in a few days." Loan sighed. She hadn't missed it. Then why had Kalin looked like she was talking to a dragon? And what was the flash that caused the dragon's to become so agitated? And why had all of those memories come flooding back at that moment of the flash?

**A/N:**

**Astrokath: Thanks a lot for the advice! As I said earlier, I am working on fixing those errors you pointed out. And another clarifying note, Sutaketa Weyr is different, to say the least, from other Weyrs.**

**Ephona: Thanks!**

**VooDoo Weasel: Just for you, I will throw in another twist. Thanks for the advice. Now that I have the formalities over the plot can move along a bit faster. Thanks for your comments!**

**Ginalee: Don't worry! I'll explain more about D'las and Rentus later in the story. Just a little hint for all those who take the time to read my wonderful comments to others, the flash in the prologue wasn't the first one. –winkwink-**

**Again, thanks for reading everyone! I'll update again when I can!**

**-- Neko signing out!**


	5. Chapter Four: Life

**A/N: All right guys, this is probably going to be the last update for a while… I promise to make the next one longer and more involved… consider that as an apology… anyway…**

Chapter Four

Loan looked around. It was one day after she had woken up and the healers had finally said she could go back to the barracks. She had done so gratefully and finally showed her friends Liak, whom she had been keeping a secret. Loan was currently sitting on her bed, looking out the wall. What had that flash been? She shook her head and got up.

Liak come out of _between_ and landed on her shoulder. He cheeped. Loan turned her head and smiled at him, then scratched his eye ridge. He hummed. She sighed and looked around the room again. Another question flicked across her mind. Why had Kalin looked like she was talking to a dragon? Maybe she had been imagining things. She shrugged, then was suddenly aware that Liak was still humming. And a louder humming was coming from all around.

"Shards!" Now Kalin would probably _really_ look like she was talking to a dragon. The Hatching! Liak flew off her shoulder and went _between_. Loan rushed to grab and robe and shove it over her head. She could hear others rushing to their rooms to do the same.

"Hurry, Candidates! It is time!" That was S'zen, waddling though the hall. Kalin and Nysil burst into the room and they both pulled the robes on. They also put thin sandals on, then quickly headed out of the room.

"Two-by-two, Candidates! Come on, hurry up!" S'zen was saying. "Boys in one line, girls in another. Come on!" Loan stood next to Chriser. She looked around to see Nysil next to Raskel and Kalin by Deret. All of them looked nervous. "Everyone here? Let's go then!" He started leading them out of the barracks, and toward their new futures.

xxx

Kalin looked straight ahead as they started walking toward the Hatching Grounds. All the dragons were on the ledge, humming their welcome to the dragonets. Kalin wiped her sweaty hands on her robes. She was so nervous. As they neared the Hatching Grounds, she could see the shadows of Kita, Sukai and Tort flying above them.

As they reached the entrance, the first thing Kalin looked for was Enali. And there she was. Her foster mother was dressed in her finest clothing, sitting next to the Lord and Lady Holder of Far North Hold. Enali waved to Kalin, who grinned back. The second thing she noticed was Arestath. The golden queen was shining with happiness, her eyes whirling with anticipation. Kalin could _feel_ the queen humming.

Kalin abruptly felt a push from behind, and noticed that the line had started to move forward again. She rushed to catch up with Deret. As the lines split to form the semi-circles, she whispered to him, "Good luck." He nodded and they split. Kalin stood next to Nysil and Loan. She looked over to see Chriser, Deret, and Raskel standing next to each other. It was finally time.

xxx

_Mine hurry! The are Hatching!_ Arestath looked toward the entrance.

_I'm coming Arestath._ The queen saw her rider striding in, ahead of the two columns of Candidates. Rentus walked next to her queen and watched as the Candidates walked in. _How is Kalin doing?_

_Fine._

_And Loan?_

_She too is fine. That girl was strangely affected by the flash. But no matter. They are hatching!_ Rentus almost laughed at her queen. She looked out at the candidates, remembering the day she Impressed Arestath. She closed her eyes, remembering, and felt he humming grow to a swell, then cut off abruptly. She opened her eyes to hear the loud, resonating "CRACK!" that echoed in the Weyr. She felt the whole congregation hold their breath as another "Crack!" came. Rentus turned her attention to the egg in question. The egg was rocking quite hard. Suddenly, it stopped, then burst open with a shower of shards. Rentus beamed at the small brown standing there. The little creature sneezed and creeled loudly. It was beginning.

xxx

The little brown creeled and looked around. So he was the first one? Where was his mine? He started to move toward the males, but tripped on his wings and tumbled in the sand. He tried to free himself of his wings and creeled loudly. He was hungry, he was lost, he hurt, and he couldn't find his mine. He kept creeling until he felt a touch on his hide. He fell quiet and assessed the mind. There he was!

xxx

Raskel watched as the first egg cracked. He gave a quick glance around, knowing that he was the most unlikely to Impress this go around. He was the youngest Candidate, and the smallest, at least out of the males. He turned back to the egg, then looked up and briefly caught Nysil's eye. His sister grinned at him and he grinned back.

When he heard the egg shatter, he looked back to it. The small egg had been holding a brown. Raskel looked at the little creature and was filled with mixed feelings of awe, happiness and mystery. When the brown kept creeling, and eventually stumbled, Raskel also had another mixed feeling, want. The little brown kept creeling and Raskel became aware that he was tangled in his wings. Raskel looked around. Was nobody going to help him?

It was in that moment that Raskel, young Raskel, made a decision. He hurried forward, toward the brown. He heard Arestath's disapproving, but quiet hiss and almost stepped back into the semi-circle, but he kept going. He knelt by the thrashing brown and gently put a hand on it's hide. At once, Raskel felt something touch his mind, and then fuse with it.

_Raskelmine! Please help your Verith!_

Raskel stared blankly at the brown. No, it was his imagination. It couldn't be possible! He looked into the brow's eyes.

_Please Raskelmine!_

Raskel suddenly snapped to his senses. "His name is Verith!" he called as he helped his dragon. _His_! He helped the little brown to his feet and slowly led him off the Hatching Grounds, to a large heated room where he would feed his dragonet.

"Congratulations, R'skel."

Raskel, now aware that his named had been shortened looked over at S'zen. "Thank you sir," he said, grinned then kept walking, taking Verith to the food, which the little brown kept asking for.

xxx

Kalin watched as the brown hatched, and Impressed Raskel. She grinned and had clapped in her heart, since she was anxiously looking at the next egg that was rocking. Then there was another, and another. Eggs were bursting open in every direction! First a green made her way over to a girl she didn't know then a blue went to one of Deret's roommates. A bronze hatched next and looked around. Kalin wanted to hear the little dragonet, but decided not to, since Arestath and everyone was watching.

The bronze creeled again and moved toward the boys, stopping and looking at each one. Kalin watched anxiously as it looked up into to Deret, then Chriser's eyes. Her heart leapt when she sensed a bond being made and she heard the voice ring through her head. _Chrisermine! Please feed your Kineth! I hunger!_

"Yeah Ch'ser!"

Kalin looked up into the crowd to see a tall dragonrider clapping hard. She gave it little mind and looked back at Ch'ser and Kineth walking off the Hatching Grounds, following R'skel's lead. She had been so engrossed with the bronze's progress that she didn't notice the queen egg had begun to rock. Arestath had. She began to hum again as the egg rocked harder and harder. Kalin looked now and held her breath as spider web cracks covered the whole egg, before it burst open, leaving a small, glimmering queen, standing amongst cracked eggs and nervous Candidates. The little queen turned glimmering, rainbow eyes toward the girls, and locked eyes with Kalin. She felt something probe at her mind when a small green blur shot in front of her.

Kalin would later remember jumping back with surprise, but now she looked down at the small green dragonet, blocking her from the queen. _This is MY Kalinmine! Go find another!_ Kalin's eyes grew wide as the little queen hissed at the green, then moved off. The green turned her head up and looked at Kalin. _She was going to take my Kalinmine away from me. Oh, I am Faith. Please feed me! I am truly hungry!_ Kalin looked down, wondering if her ability was tricking her. _Kalinmine! Please?_

A shove from Nysil told Kalin that this was real. Her face broke into an enormous smile as she called out to the crowd, "Her name is Faith!" She looked down at Faith and put a hand on her head. "Come on, dear heart." She turned and slowly helped Faith out of the Hatching Grounds, toward the large room filled with creeling dragonets. She hadn't noticed how many had hatched, but when she left, only a few eggs, about ten, were left.

Kalin suddenly stopped. She turned her head back toward the Hatching Grounds. Was that a trick? No, she had heard it. _I guess you'll do. That little green tried to stop me from _assessing_ someone. Anyway, I found you Loanmine; your Quanoth has found you._

_Is there something wrong, mine?_

Kalin looked down at Faith and smiled. "No, dear heart. Nothing at all is wrong."

_Good. Can we feed me please?_ Kalin smiled and nodded. She once again put a hand on Faith's head and continued leading her to the feeding room.

xxx

Loan stood, patiently waiting. Even as most of the dragonets were paired off, she wouldn't give up hope. She looked around. Even if hope was slim. There were only about 15 eggs left and about twenty candidates. Her chances weren't very good. She was older, about seventeen, but then again, so was Chriser, and he had Impressed, and now was Ch'ser.

Suddenly, Loan heard the whispers that the queen egg was rocking. She looked, not expecting, or hoping, to Impress the little creature, but the hands of fate move in odd ways. She watched as the queen started going toward Kalin, but was stopped by a green. As the queen moved off, Loan knew Impression had been made. She was happy for her friend, but also despaired more. Ten egg, fifteen candidates. She held her breath as a smaller egg burst open, still not trying to look at the queen for fear of getting her own hopes up.

The dragonet that came from the shell was large for a dragonet, but oddly enough, it had tumbled into the sand, which stuck to it. No one could tell what the color was. It walked slowly and deliberately, toward the males. Loan watched, then suddenly jumped when she heard a voice in her head.

_I guess you'll do. That little green tried to stop me from _assessing_ someone. Anyway, I found you Loanmine; your Quanoth has found you._

Loan looked over and down at the queen, who was standing by her side, and gaped. There had to be a mistake. It was her imagination. But when the queen butted her leg, nearly knocking Loan over, she knew it was real! Nysil laughed and gently shoved Loan toward the dragonet. Loan smiled and called out, "Her name is Quanoth!"

_Of course it is. Now can you feed me please? I am very hungry._ Loan smiled and nodded.

"Come on," she said and slowly led the little queen.

As Loan and Quanoth walked out of the Hatching Grounds, they could barely hear two voices calling, "His name is Turyth!" That was Deret's voice. Good for him. Then she heard, "Her name is Ikith!" And there was Nysil. Good, all of their friends had Impressed. She could hear the crunch of draconic feet behind her and knew that Deret and Nysil were following. She kept leading Quanoth, beaming with pride. Finally, her wish had come true. She had Impressed.

**A/N: Again, I apologize for taking so long…**

**MusicalS377: Thanks for the advice! And more about D'las ect. Will be explained in later chapters.**

**VoodooWeasel: Thanks a lot for the tips!**

**PSTurner: Oh Loan likes Kalin enough, its just Loan's personality… And she also wanted to know why Kalin talked to a dragon, since no one but the Weyrwoman and the dragons know.**

**Thanks a lot guys! I'll update when I can!**

**-- Neko signing out!**


	6. Chapter Five: Flight and Fear

**A/n: Hey guys… sorry this took me so long… -feels bad- Anyway, since Weyrling Lessons are kinda boring and repetitive, I'll just do one then next chapter will be graduation. This is the Weyrling chapter I guess… then the plot can more some more… And again, I do not own Pern or any aspect of it. The colors, except for my "odd men out" are Anne's and so are the rest of this, except Sutaketa Weyr and the characters in it… those are © me!**

**Flight with Rider**

_Kalinmine? Mine? MINE!_

Kalin jerked awake and blinked several times. The sun was shining directly on her face and also, right in her face, was the head of a one-year-old green dragon. "Faith…" she groaned and shut her eyes again.

_Mine! Myriath's rider says you need to get up! We'll be late! You're supposed to fly on me today!_

At once Kalin was up and pulling on her pants and a comfortable shirt. It was in the middle of the Northern summer, so it would be warm enough not to have to wear a coat for normal activities, but then again, flying wasn't normal. She grabbed her coat, just in case. "Come on Faith!" she said as she hurried out of the door. Faith quickly followed her rider, with Kita, Sukai and Tort riding on her back. They found that the green dragon was a good perch.

_Wait up mine! I was just making sure you got up on time! We won't be late at this pace!_ Kalin looked back at her dragonet. She grinned at her and waited for her to catch up. Though she was nearing maturity, Faith was much smaller than even her green counterparts.

_But she will flourish! She is the fastest and one of the strongest fliers out of all her clutch mates, except of course those bronzes. They think they are so high and mighty. I prefer browns and blues. And those little odd men out, like D'ret's __Turyth. Now there's a fine dragonet. I believe that they are calling him a striped. Brown and silver is it? Then again, I am like him, only I am all grey. They call me a shadow._

_Yes Myriath, I know._ Kalin replied, smiling. Sometimes it was good to here other dragons, but other times, they just rambled on, glad to tell things to other besides their riders. Myriath was one who did this.

While she and Faith were walking out of the Barracks, they met up with Nysil and her green Ikith. Faith looked at Ikith, who was much larger than she was and offered a greeting. Ikith returned it and the two young dragons started chatting at once. Kalin grinned at Nysil. Nysil and the others still didn't know that Kalin could hear what their dragons were saying, when they didn't disclose their thoughts.

"Do you think we will really get to fly today?" Nysil asked as they walked toward the Weyrbowl. The Weyrling Barracks was in a separate building and was connected to the Candidate Barracks by a small hallway which was off limits to Candidates and Weyrlings. It was there in case one of the masters had to be out for a while.

"Of course! Our dragons our big enough, even Faith, as small as she is," Kalin replied. Ever since Nysil had Impressed Ikith, she had started worrying more than she had before. She was always worrying that R'skel was doing his job and everyone's dragons were all right.

As they reached the Weyrbowl, Kalin was aware that another was following behind them. She looked back and saw Loan walking alongside with Quanoth. Kalin smiled and waved. Loan waved back. Quanoth was growing well and was already twice the size of the largest green hatchling, or maybe larger. Loan made sure to keep her well oiled and well fed.

"Hurry up Weyrlings! The sooner you're out here the sooner we can head to the plains to fly!" Kalin looked to see Orisia, their Weyrling Master, standing next to Myriath, her dragon. Kalin looked up at Myriath and smiled. One of their first lessons was on the "odd men out" of the Weyr. Every-so-often, a dragon with different coloring was born. Myriath and Turyth were two examples. Myriath was called a Shadow, since her coloring was dark grey with lighter wing membranes and neck ridges. However, she acted no differently than any other dragon, despite the lack of explanation why she was like this.

"Come on! Come on! I wanted you all here five minutes ago!" Kalin looked to see R'skel and D'ret hurrying, urging Verith and Turyth on.

_But mine! I want to sleep!_ Kalin heard Verith say. She grinned. Verith was much like his rider.

When they finally got there, Orisia started speaking about how they would have their dragons start off, with good coordinates, to help them prepare for their first trip _between _and to help the dragonets get there quicker.

"Now when we get there, we will start by stretching your dragon's wings out. Then we will have them walk around a little to get used to your weight added to the riding straps, which I hope you all have oiled and adjusted to fit your dragon comfortably but not to loose. After that, we will start you out with just gliding down a hill. We'll do more later. All right, I'll fly above you to make sure none of you get lost. Head out!" Kalin gave a picture of the plain to Faith and sent her off with the others.

_I'll stay by Ikith, Turyth, Kineth and Verith. Quanoth doesn't care for my "presence."_

Kalin smiled and watched as Orisia mounted Myriath, then grinned and walked with D'ret, Nysil, R'skel, Ch'ser and Loan. The others walked ahead as she hung back with D'ret. He had changed since he Impressed Turyth. He had become more relaxed, yet more protective at the same time. He knew, since Kalin had Impressed a green, that older riders would take notice of her when Faith reached her full size, however small she might be. Both he and R'skel had made it their personal missions to protect Nysil and herself. Loan was a queen rider and only the bronze riders would be attracted when Quanoth was showing signs of rising. Still, they watched for her too.

"Shards and shells Kal, I thought Orisia would leave without us!" D'ret said. Kalin shook her head. More people were calling her "Kal" now. It seemed not only the boys had their names shortened. Some were calling Nysil "Ny" now, but they kept Loan's name the same, since her's was already short.

"I bet she would have if you hadn't been so close. Come on, we're falling behind!" Kalin grinned and started running toward the others. D'ret laughed and followed. Kalin suddenly felt herself in the air. D'ret had scooped her up and had thrown her over his shoulder. When had he gotten so strong? He laughed and kept running, catching up with Ch'ser and R'skel, who were both leaving the girls to chat.

"Look what I caught!" he said, grinning. Ch'ser looked at R'skel, raised an eyebrow. R'skel grinned and they both ran forward. R'skel grabbed up Nysil and Ch'ser scooped up Loan. They waited for D'ret to catch up. Kalin looked at the other two, raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Well at least we don't have to walk there," Nysil said. Loan laughed. A few other Weyrlings looked back at them and laughed. The rest of the trip for the girls was spent flung over the shoulders of Ch'ser, R'skel and D'ret.

When then got to the plains, the boys let them down. Nysil fixed her hair at once, making sure it went in just the right spots. She had recently gotten it cut short, so it would fit better in her riding helmet. Kalin looked at her friend and smiled. Since they had Impressed, Nysil had fallen down the steps and gotten a nasty cut over her left eye, which, luckily, hadn't harmed her sight, but had caused a large scar.

"All right," Orisia said from Myriath's back. "I want you to find your dragon and stand by them. Have the stretch out and then, wait for me to tell you how to mount. Off with you!"

Kalin smiled. _Faith darling?_

_I'm over by Turyth and the others._ Kalin located Turyth's abnormal hide, then walked over to Faith.

_Now dear heart, do you remember your stretches?_

_Yes. First I stretch my wings, then my legs, I know, I know._ Kalin watched as Faith stretched as she was instructed, a small pile of unease growing in her stomach. Finally, Orisia gave the order to check the riding straps. Grateful for something to do, Kalin took her time, making sure they fit in the right places and weren't falling apart. Everything looked fine. She put a hand on Faith's neck.

"All right! It seems we are set to mount up. Now dragons, I want each of you to crouch down for your riders. There we go. Now If you are a bronze, or larger than a bronze, or if you are Quanoth, extend a leg for your rider to step up on. The rest of you, gently get onto their neck and strap into the riding straps. Now you bronze riders and Quanoth, strap in as well. We will have the greens go first. Any volunteers?"

Kalin didn't dare to raise her hand, by Nysil did, and Nysil rode the biggest green, meaning they would most likely go from largest to smallest. Shards. She looked over at Nysil and Ikith.

"Excellent. Now Nysil, I want you to tell Ikith to walk up to the top of that drop off. Yes. Now go." Kalin could hear Ikith complying and watched as the large green made her way over to the drop off.

"Now Ikith, extend your wings," Orisia said. Ikith did so. "And go!"

xxx

Nysil P.O.V.

"And go!"

I would have never imagined flying on _my own_ dragon was like. I mean, sure, I had rode before. Ceth brought me to the Weyr, but this was entirely different. Ikith wasn't as large as Ceth, not by a long-shot, but she held my weight fine. After a few moments of falling, Ikith beat her wings and we were aloft, above the group.

_Mine! We are flying! Together!_

_I know Ikith! I know!_

_Myriath says we must come down now._

_Why?_

_So the rest of them can get a turn. Don't worry, I know how to land._

_You'd better!_ I held on as tightly as I had done when I came here. Ikith gently spiraled down and landed, not so smoothly, on the ground, nearly throwing me off if it weren't for the safety straps. I looked around. The others were cheering. I grinned, offered a lofty, smug, but joking wave then unclipped myself and carefully dismounted Ikith. I patted her then move off, watching the others. There were a lot of green dragons I noticed. I knew a few personally because of the other lessons, but other than that, not many. Finally, after the rest had gone, it was Kalin's turn. I'll never forget her face as Faith took off and lifted into the air. Kalin was right, Faith was fine. The landed with ease, letting the others have their turns. R'skel did fine on riding Verith, as D'ret rode fine on Turyth. Ch'ser nearly fell off as well when Kineth when he landed.

After another long while of waiting for the bronzes to come back down, it was time for Loan to fly. Everyone was quiet as she mounted on Quanoth. She looked out at us. "Don't act like I am heading to my death!" she joked, laughing. We all laughed too, but knew that every bronze in the Weyr would have their eye on the newest queen. The sun was setting as Quanoth rose gracefully into the air, large wings not needing to beat as much as Ikith's or Faith's had. She rose in front of the setting sun, setting her hide ablaze. I could hear the bronzes rumble. Our dragons _were_ nearly full grown.

"Good job Loan!" Orisia called up. "Now come on down!"

"All right!" Came the shouted reply. Just as Quanoth started to descend, I knew something was wrong. I racked my mind, thinking as hard as I ever had. Suddenly, the answer came in a burst of light, literally. I heard Quanoth's shriek and saw a large grey blue shoot past as Quanoth began to hurtle towards the ground…

**A/N: And to my reviews, thanks again! I do promise to fix the mistakes later! **

**Pam: Impression is such a wonderful thing isn't it?**

**Ginalee: Why thank you! I try, I really do! **

**MusicalS377: I've already explained… yeah…**

**Amy: Thanks a lot!! **

**Wow… huh… well this is Neko, signing off!**


	7. Chapter Six: Be Strong

**A/N: I love it when people squeal over cliff hangers and just for a note we are starting before the flash so I can put Loan's reaction in…**

**Chapter Five**

Loan laughed aloud when Quanoth flew up into the air. Her dragon was perfect.

_Yes I am._ Quanoth replied. Loan laughed again.

"Good job Loan!" she could faintly hear Orisia say. "Now come down!"

"All right!" she shouted down. _Time to go down, dear. We will get to fly again soon._

_Indeed._ Quanoth angled her wings to descend when the flash came.

Loan's eyes grew wide as memories flooded back into her mind. As she let out a scream Quanoth shrieked as well, as she was affected as her rider was. Her wings grew rigid as she began to hurtle towards the ground. Loan was still screaming.

Suddenly Loan heard another voice. _QUANOTH! NO! PLEASE! KEEP TOGETHER! DO NOT LEAVE!_

Loan knew that voice. Somewhere in her subconscious, which was not screaming or anything of the sort recognized the voice as Kalin's. Strange. Her subconscious also noticed how close they were to the ground. Right as her subconscious was sure they would hit the ground, they were lifted up by a large grey shape.

_Myriath?_

_Yes it is me. I have you._

Quanoth stopped shrieking and Loan stopped screaming. Myriath slowly landed, supporting both Quanoth and Loan. She gently touched down and crouched low to the ground. Loan slid off and hit the ground. Quanoth, who was in better shape than her rider, slowly moved so that she was on all four feet. She slumped to the ground. _Mine?_

Loan did not reply. Quanoth creeled in worry and made her way over to her rider. Orisia ran over, as did Kalin. Loan was white as a sheet and not moving. Orisia gently reached out a hand and opened one of Loan's eyes. It was cloudy and blank.

"Orisia, is she…?" Kalin asked. Orisia shook her head.

"No. Otherwise, Quanoth would have left." She looked over at her and said in a low voice, "You saved them you know. All our dragons could hear you." Kalin looked at Loan. Then she looked over at Ch'ser, D'ret, R'skel and Nysil.

"Someone go and get a medic. I give you permission to fly there, but do _**not**_ go_ between_!" Ch'ser and D'ret nodded and both jumped on their dragons. Turyth and Kineth took off at once, flying as fast as their wings could take them.

Kalin got up and walked slowly to Quanoth. _Quanoth, your rider is fine._

_You… you told me not to leave._

_Yes. I was afraid that you would go _between _with Loan. What happened?_

_The flash came and then…_ Kalin could see the queen shudder. _I do not wish to speak of it._

_I understand. _Kalin gently put a hand on Quanoth's suddenly dull hide.

_Mine, a rider is coming._ Faith said to Kalin. _Kineth and Turyth are at the Weyr. They relayed the message ahead of them. _

_Good. Who is coming?_

_Turyth tells me it is K'mel, rider of blue Pyth._

_All right._ Kalin took her hand off Quanoth and walked over to Orisia. "Orisia, K'mel and Pyth are coming," she said, hoping Orisia knew who they were. She nodded, looking at Loan. She could hear Pyth landing and K'mel running over. Kalin looked at the two. K'mel knelt by Loan.

"What happened?" he asked. Orisia looked up at Kalin.

"There was another flash," Orisia said, looking back at K'mel. "She was flying, and suddenly started screaming, then lost consciousness. Myriath went up and caught them both." K'mel nodded and gently opened one of her eyelids.

"It seems she has lost some sight. I'd have to take her to a healer to find out for sure." He looked up. "Is her dragon fine?" Orisia nodded. "Good. I'll take her back on Pyth." Orisia nodded as K'mel took Loan up in his arms and walked over to the blue dragon. The rest of the Weyrling class was silent.

Kalin walked slowly up to Pyth as K'mel was getting Loan situated. She gently reached out and touched the blue dragon. _You take care of her Pyth_. She said. _For all of us._

_I will._ Pyth replied. Kalin stepped back by Faith as Pyth spread his wings and took off into the sky, then winked _between_.

xxx

_Mine! Blue Pyth is coming in with an injured Weyrling!_ Rentus looked up from stitching some more designs on the blue piece of cloth.

_Who?_ She asked. _And how?_

_Loan, gold Quanoth's rider. It was a flash, like the…other one. She had reacted strangely to it before. She and Quanoth were flying when it appeared. They almost crashed, but Shadow Myriath caught them in time._

Rentus nodded and stood. Shards. She thought this nightmare was over. She dashed quickly out of her new quarters, which were separate from the other weyrs and was close to the Hatching Grounds and strode quickly to the Weyrbowl just as Pyth was landing.

"We need a healer!" he called. Rentus noticed a drudge ran off to fetch one.

"What happened K'mel?" Rentus asked, walking forward. She reached up her arms to take the unconscious girl from his arms, letting him get down.

"Another one of those strange flashes. I think she lost part of her sight and might have sustained some mental damage, but I don't know." He looked around. "Where are those two lads who came and got me?"

"Right here, sir." Rentus turned to see two Weyrlings, standing next to a bronze and a striped dragon. One of the boys stepped forward. "I'm Ch'ser, rider of bronze Kineth. Loan, she will be all right, won't she?"

"I don't know."

Ch'ser nodded and turned to the other boy. The other boy looked at the striped dragonet. He then quickly whispered something to Ch'ser. Ch'ser nodded.

"What is your name, son?" Rentus asked to other.

"I am D'ret, rider of Striped Turyth." She nodded.

"You two go get some rest. That was some hard flying you did. And right after your first. And make sure you feed your dragons. Off with you. I will inform Orisia where you are." They both nodded and walked off. She turned to K'mel. "Let's get her to the infirmary." K'mel nodded and took Loan up in his arms.

_Mine, Myriath comes, escorting Quanoth,_ Arestath told her rider.

_All right. I'll be here for her._ She looked up to the sky to see a small glint of gold and a larger patch of grey. She cleared a spot for them to land. She spoke out-loud to Myriath. "Thank you."

_She says that you are very welcome and she has to go get her rider,_ Arestath said.

_All right._ Rentus waited for Myriath to fly off, before looking at Quanoth. The little queen was in a bad state. Rentus knelt down. Suddenly she had an idea. _Arestath, tell Myriath to also bring back the Weyrling Kalin._

_I will._ Having Kalin around would help greatly. Rentus gently put a hand on Quanoth. The young queen was much to dull of a color. "Someone bring some meat!" Another drudge ran off and quickly came back with two buckets. Though Quanoth was large enough to hunt on her own, she was in no position to at this moment. There was a burst of cold air above her and she saw Myriath. The Shadow dragon quickly spiraled down and Kalin jumped off.

"Kalin, get over here!" Rentus called. She did so and knelt by Quanoth. "I need you to tell her that she needs to eat." Kalin nodded and a misty look came over her face as she explained to Quanoth.

"She wants me to feed her," Kalin said. Rentus nodded and moved aside so Kalin could feed the queen. Kalin took up a chunk of meat and fed her as she did when she first Impressed Faith. Rentus once again looked up and saw a parade of young dragons and their riders, walking back from the fields. No sound of talking or joyful reveling came from them. They were all worried, all 37 of them.

Nysil was the first to enter, next to R'skel. They ran over to Kalin, talking with her. The others all went to the Weyrling Barracks, all in their own thoughts. Rentus stood and left the three and walked back to her weyr.

_Mine? Is something wrong?_ Arestath asked when Rentus walked in. Rentus sat on her bed.

_This was how D'las died. He… he remembered all those things and it drove him and Toranth mad. They went _between_. Quanoth had someone to stop her. We would have lost her and Loan. _

_Yes._

_We would have lost your, and my, daughter. _Rentus put her hands in her head and let out a sob. It was the first time that she had admitted to herself that Loan was indeed her daughter. Loan never knew that Rentus was her mother, and neither did anyone else, except Arestath, D'las and Lorleru, who had delivered Loan. She had never told anyone how she had become pregnant with Loan, except D'las and Arestath.

She had been young, having just Impressed Arestath and was at the Hatching Feast. She had been permitted to drink wine, as all the Weyrlings were on that particular night. She had gotten drunk and another rider had led her off and other actions ensued. She had found out she was pregnant about a month later.

Arestath had been supporting, but Rentus had to confide in someone. She had befriended D'las, who also was in her Weyrling class. He had been supportive as well, and when it came time to deliver, he waited up all night. He also helped convince Lorleru to be the foster mother for Loan. And now her daughter was being affected the same way D'las was.

Rentus had never known who Loan's father was, but that was no matter now. She didn't want to lose her daughter the same way she had lost her Weyrmate. She stood and walked to Arestath. The golden queen raised her head.

_Go and see her. _The queen said. Rentus nodded and turned out of the room. She strode quickly to the main Weyr building. She walked gracefully, but with slight haste. She passed many drudges before she turned into a small hallway that led to the infirmary.

"Ah, Weyrwoman. She's awake." Rentus looked up and walked over to the healer who had spoken. She looked at the girl laying on the bed.

Loan was pale as a sheet, and still had her eyes closed. In a weak voice she said, "Weyrwoman?"

"Hush, Queenrider," Rentus said, with a small smile. "Kalin, Nysil and R'skel are tending to Quanoth. Now I want you to do two things for me."

"Anything."

"Open your eyes." Rentus knew what would happen, but she needed Loan to admit it.

She watched as Loan slowly creaked open her eyes. They were still blank and cloudy. "Weyrwoman, opening my eyes does no good. It is black with them open or closed." A tear leaked out of Loan's left eye. Rentus reached out and brushed it away.

"Be strong, Loan. Be strong," Rentus said. How she longed to say, "My daughter," but she could not, not yet.

_Yet. _Arestath said. _One day, you must tell her, but not today. Not yet. Be strong, mine. Be strong._

**A/N: A little sad… yes… and also a little bit of background. Next chapter will sum up a bit more of background and have the class graduate… but if my mind wanders again it make take another chapter… who knows…**

**Ginalee: Thanks a lot!**

**Paisley: Aw… but cliff-hangers are so much fun to write:-) And just because it drives me crazy, there will be no more first person in this story… its harder to write than it is to read… **

**Well… this is Neko signing out!**


	8. UPDATE!

**A/N: Ah, hello my wonderful readers. This is Neko, as you probably know but… yeah… I'd just let to like you all know that an update is coming, I swear. Exams are right about this time and then I am taking a course over the summer and I have band and… the list goes on and on and on… and so fourth. Plus… I'm a little wee bit brain-dead/can't think of anything to right about the feast. So just letting you all know that and a chapter is on the way. Thanks a lot!**

**--Neko**


	9. Chapter Seven: Graduation and Stories

**A/N: -keels over- Oh my gosh I am **_**really**_** sorry! I didn't mean for this update to take so long! I've been taking geometry… I finished this chapter while on vacation with no internet hookup and then I have a lot of band… I apologize -bows down- I am sooooo sorry!!!**

**Chapter Seven**

Rentus looked over the 35 Weyrlings standing next to their dragons in front of her. They had grown much in the past two years. They had experienced loss, when two of their own did not come back from _between_. She knew for a fact that Orisia was greatly affected by both of these. She looked over at the Weyrwoman and nodded, then walked up to the center of the platform they were on.

"Congratulations soon-to-be dragonriders!" she called out to the company that was gathered. "You have made it to the point when you are no longer a child, but you are now an adult. Never forget your training and never forget your Weyr!" They clapped. She nodded again at Orisia. "Now, when I call your name, please step forward to receive your new knots and wing placement."

"B'nam rider of green Emith. To be assigned to the Frost Wing." B'nam walked to get his knots. Rentus pinned them on then looked at Emith and stared into her eyes for a moment, opening her to Arestath.

_Well done, Emith,_ The golden queen said. She looked at her daughter and gave the draconic equivalent of a smile. B'nam and Emith walked back to their seats, leaving the others to have their turns. Kalin was assigned to the Gale Wing, where Ch'ser was to join her as Wing Second-in-Training. D'ret was assigned as Wing Second to the new Blizzard Wing. Nysil was assigned to the Storm Wing and R'skel was assigned to the Freeze Wing. Finally, all the dragons were graduated, except for Loan.

"And lastly," Rentus started, looking out at Loan, who was standing next to Quanoth, tears in her not-quite-yet-working eyes. "Loan, rider of Queen Quanoth, to join us in the Queen Wing!" The cheers and applause was louder than it had been for the whole class. Loan walked up with Quanoth guiding her. "Congratulations Loan," Rentus said as she pinned the Queen Rider knots on Loan.

Arestath looked at Quanoth. _You chose well, my daughter._ Quanoth rumbled and turned to lead Loan back to her seat. Rentus looked out over the crowd. "Congratulations again, Dragon Riders! I'll let you stay out and mingle with each other. The feast will start at sundown. I'll see you all then."

At once the talking started. Everyone went to talk with each other, congratulating and reliving memories. Kalin and her friends walked over to talk with Loan, who, after some crying of happiness, finally agreed to tell them what had happened during the flash after the feast.

"One last thing, newly-made-dragonriders!" It was Orisia talking. "Your weyr assignments will be posted at the feast. You might want to take a glance at those and tell your dragon to remember them so if you get a little happy with the wine you can make it back."

Soon, after nearly two hours of reliving memories and chatting, it was nearing sundown. Many of the new dragonriders went back to their old barracks and changed their clothes and had a drudge find their weyrs and take the rest of their belongings up to their new permanent living space. Finally, Kalin, Ch'ser, Loan, D'ret, Nysil, and R'skel all met, wearing their nicest clothes and their new knots. Ch'ser took Loan's arm to guide her while Quanoth was not able to. Since they noticed how their friends were paired, and also since R'skel didn't want to be paired with his sister, D'ret took Nysil's arm and Kalin took R'skel's, much to the younger rider's, now thirteen turns old, embarrassment. Kalin, Loan, D'ret and Ch'ser were all nineteen turns now and Nysil was sixteen turns.

Together, the six friends strode into the great hall to be met with the smells of roasting meat and the sounds of wonderful music. They all gave glances toward one another and walked over towards the food table. There, they filled up plates and each took a goblet of wine, except for R'skel. For one, he deemed himself too young, and two, he didn't much care for the taste of wine or any other spirit or alcohol for that matter. It made him feel too light headed for his taste. So he watched as his friends and fellow dragon riders dank and made merry.

After they ate and socialized for a bit, each one decided that they would dance after the Harpers had finished eating. It was decided that each boy would take a few dances with each girl, but if it came to the toss dance, which was highly unlikely, Ch'ser would partner Nysil and D'ret would partner Kalin. Loan didn't want to do the toss if it came to it. Finally the Harpers picked up their instruments and took their places on the Harper platform. The first song they played was a slower song than they could play, but still had some bounce to it. To start things off, D'ret danced with Loan, Ch'ser danced with Nysil and R'skel danced with Kalin, even though he was shorter than her. The song might have had a slow tempo, but it had a quick pace. Soon it was over and they started another song, faster this time. The six friends switched partners so R'skel was with Loan, Ch'ser with Kalin and D'ret with Nysil.

Soon all the dancing and merriment was over. Though they had each had at least two glasses of wine, everyone wasn't to drunk and by the time they had made their way back to their new weyrs and had settled their dragons in, they all met in Loan's weyr. She sat on a bed, golden Quanoth behind her.

"I told you all I would tell you what happened… and this might take more time than the feast itself. Quanoth will stay awake with all of us." All the friends agreed. Loan looked down at the floor. She looked rather uncomfortable, so Kalin looked at Ch'ser and gave a small nod. He winked and got up to sit next to her. Loan looked up. All of them knew that Loan could see a little and she knew who it was. All of them also knew how fond they were of each other. They had bonded during their Weyrling training, as much as Kalin and D'ret had back at their hold.

"We will listen, Loan," he said. She nodded.

"Not even Weyrwoman Rentus knows that I know all of this. I wish it to stay that way. She will tell me in her own time." Loan looked at the floor again. "I was told, all my life that I was an orphan and I was found in the middle of the Weyrbowl. No one knew where I came from or whose child I was. So they took me in and Lorleru fostered me. I grew up here, not knowing who I was, or where I was meant to be." Loan sighed and took another breath. "But those two flashes that… affected me, weren't the first. I had problems with them even when I was younger. But then it was only me and they were attributed to odd 'atmospheric activity.' They made me remember things that I had done that I didn't want to remember, didn't remember at all, or memories that weren't mine.

"I didn't tell anyone about them except for Lorleru. When I had just turned seventeen, D'las became Weyrleader. He took me under his wing when he somehow found out about the flashes. He told me he too remembered things that he had done or would do or never did." Loan looked at all of them. "One day, he didn't come back from Threadfall. There had been a flash during it and I guessed what happened. Those memories drove him mad and in turn drove Toranth mad. But during that flash I found something. I saw who my parents were." She paused and didn't speak for several moments. From her face it looked like she was trying to recall their faces, like she would never see them again.

"My mother… was Weyrwoman Rentus." Both Kalin and Nysil had to cover their mouths to keep from gasping. "My father was D'las's brother, N'kret, even though D'las was at my brith. After I was born they staged the placing me in the Weyrbowl to keep me and everyone else in the dark. Even Rentus does not know who my father is." She looked at all of them. "Having N'kret as my father explains why the flashes affected both D'las and I." She looked around. "R'skel could you go into that next room and get me some water?" R'skel nodded and got up to get some, having the strange feeling that Loan had sent him on purpose. She had.

"All of you listen," Loan said. "R'skel is too young to know what I am about to tell you next so I am going to leave out bits. I shall tell you all the whole truth later." Nysil started to protest, since R'skel was her brother, but he walked in then, holding a goblet of clear water. He handed it to her.

"Loan, I am not as young as you think. I may be young in age, but you all know I am as mature as you all." R'skel's voice held a note in it that made them all realize that he was right.

"All right R'skel, but as a queen rider I have to forbid you all from telling anyone this next part." They all agreed. "All right. When the second flash came, it had been nearly six months since D'las… left us and there had been just one flash, but thankfully I was asleep and the memories just joined my dreams. Then after you all came, another flash seemed to follow you. I was filled with memories of the pain and sadness I had felt as a child and it overwhelmed me. I am thankful someone hit me on the head that night otherwise, I might have been lost. Then, when we flew…" she stopped and shuddered. Ch'ser gently put his arm around her. "There is something I have kept hidden from everyone. When I was still young, but old enough to know what I was doing, I snuck into the Hatching Grounds to see the eggs. I wanted to touch one, so I did, but a little too hard. When that dragonet hatched it was injured, but people thought it had healed by the time for first flight of that particular class. But it hadn't. The injuries I caused that dragon ended up killing both him and his rider.

"When Quanoth and I were flying, we were so close to the flash that it blinded me. If you hadn't been there Kalin, both Quanoth and I would have gone _between_. I was left mentally scared, hearing the keening of the dragons again, hearing the rider's and dragon's dying screams…" A single tear ran down her cheek. "I can never forgive myself. The dragon's name was Menorath, and her rider was called Liak. That is why my flit is named what he is, so I can never forget." She looked at all of them. "My sight will never be what it was, but the healers told me that they can try some remedies to try to improve it. But these emotional scars are too deep to heal." Finally, she broke down. Sobs racked her body as Ch'ser held her. Kalin looked at the others, then closed her eyes.

_Quanoth?_

_I am trying to calm her, but she has shut her mind._ Kalin opened her eyes. She was about to suggest something when the door burst open. Orisia ran in, gasping.

"There's an emergency! The Weyrwoman's been attacked!"

**A/N: OoOoOoOo, oh no! I love cliff hangers. Really all of this just came to mind rather randomly sooooo XD yeah. Thank you to all my reviews who encouraged me and what not. You guys are amazing:-)**

**This is Neko, signing out!**


	10. Chapter Eight: Attack

**A/N: One, I need to thank EowynOrgana. Some of you may know her, some of you may not, but she planted the idea in my head to set myself deadlines so here you go, thanks. I recentally started school, so there's my excuse for this chapter. I promise I really will try to keep to it. I swear:-)**

**WARNING! LANGUAGE IN THIS CHAPTER!**

Chapter Eight: Attack

"There's an emergency! The Weyrwoman's been attacked!"

D'ret was the first one on his feet. He ran over to Orisia and took her by the shoulders. "Where is she?" he asked. By then the rest of them were up.

_Mine! The attacker is still there, in her weyr. Hurry!_ Faith told her rider. Kalin spoke up.

"She's still in her weyr, and the attacker is too. Come on!" She started running, but quickly let Orisia take the lead. When they reached the Weyrbowl, dragons were bellowing and every eye was red.

_They can't control themselves mine! Calm them. Let the others go ahead! _Faith told her. Kalin stopped.

"Go ahead!" she called. She wasn't sure if they heard her, but they went on anyway. Kalin stood in the middle of the Weyrbowl and closed her eyes. She could feel and hear each dragon. They felt her too and assaulted her with their thoughts.

_Protect the Weyr! Kill the attacker! Death to all traitors!_

The thoughts kept coming and coming, filling Kalin, until, quite suddenly, it was quiet, at least in her mind. The dragons were listening for her to speak now.

_Friends, there will be retribution, but you must not attack. Whatever you do, we will punish the one who has hurt our Weyrwoman._

_And Arestath!_ Added another dragon. Kalin gasped.

_They attacked Arestath too?_

_Yes. Now hurry Kalin! They need your help!_ Kalin broke off from each of the dragons and sprinted to the Weyrwoman's weyr, not knowing what she would find.

xxx

"Go ahead!"

D'ret looked back at Kalin. She had stopped. _She has work to do,_ Turyth said.

_All right_. D'ret kept running. "She needs to do something," he told the others when the looked back with questions in their eyes. Orisia took them into the entrance to the Hatching Grounds and sprinted across the sands. They reached a small set of stairs and ran down those, so they were below the raised sands. Then the went down a small hallway and down another set of stairs until they reached a door. From inside they could hear pained whimpers, a raised voice and a draconic moan.

"Here we go," Orisia whispered and stood aside. Ch'ser looked at her and nodded. He tapped D'ret's shoulder.

"You say when," D'ret said. Ch'ser nodded. They positioned themselves in front of the door.

"Now!" Ch'ser yelled and both Ch'ser and D'ret rammed the door, hard, knocking it over. The rest of them ran into the room and stopped at the sight.

A man, holding a long belt knife was standing over the Weyrwoman, who had multiple cuts all over her body, the worst of which was on her arm. Arestath was laying on her side, her one wing clearly broken and with a giant rip through the membrane. The queen's hide was nearly grey and her eyes were a mix of dark grey, red and white; she was angry, hurt and scared. D'ret rushed forward and tackled the man, wrestling the belt knife away from him. Loan made her way over to Arestath, waiting for Kalin to get there. Ch'ser went to help restrain the man, while the rest of them went to the Weyrwoman.

They all looked at the doorway in time to see Kalin run in. She took in the scene, then quickly rushed over to Arestath.

_Arestath! Listen to me!_

_Kalin?_

_Yes. You need to stay strong for Rentus, understand?_

_That man… he hurt me and my mine… I will be all right; I am in no danger of dying. Go to the man… and take care of my mine._

Kalin nodded and stepped away from Arestath and walked over to the man, whom had been hauled to his feet and was being restrained by D'ret and Ch'ser. Kalin looked at him and, without a second thought, punched him in the face.

"You bitch!" the man roared at her and she punched him again, then grabbed him by the neck of his shirt, bringing his face close to hers, her eyes glittering dangerously. The man spat in her face. Kalin didn't flinch.

"You deserve to die, you know that?" she said, her voice a whisper of fury. D'ret and Ch'ser exchanged frightened looks. They had never seen Kalin so angry before.

"They deserved what they got! Sutaketa Weyr needs to be pure, not full of the mothers of bastards!" The man said, glancing at Loan. Kalin yanked him back to face her.

"Leave Loan out of this," she hissed. She looked at the man's shoulder knots. He was a brown rider. "What is your name, rider?"

"You green-rider bitch have no right-" the man began but was silenced by Ch'ser speaking up.

"But I am a bronze-rider, speak up, _brown_-rider. Your name?" The man turned slightly to give Ch'ser a look of loathing, before Kalin made him look back at her.

"I am N'kret, rider of brown Ornaith." Kalin nearly let go of his shirt. Loan's father. Everyone looked at Loan, except Orisia who didn't know the significance, and kept tending Rentus. Kalin quickly regained her rage and was about to say something, when Loan spoke.

"N'kret, do you realize that while Rentus may be my mother, _you_ are my father?" N'kret spat to the side, rather than in Kalin's face.

"It is the woman who gives birth to bastards, not the men!"

"I was asking if you were aware, brown-rider N'kret."

"Yes, I am aware."

"Then you willingly attacked not both the Weyrwoman and her dragon, but the mother of your child."

"You are not my child! You are a bastard and a bitch all in one."

"That as may be, N'kret," Loan said, keeping her voice calm, though she was trembling, "But I am more heart and courage than you will ever have." She looked at D'ret and Ch'ser. "What should we do with him?"

"You are the Queen Rider, now," D'ret said.

"Wait, she's coming to," Orisia said. Nysil looked at Rentus and nodded. The Weyrwoman slowly opened her eyes. Kalin released her charge, giving him back to Ch'ser and D'ret and walked over and knelt by Rentus.

"Weyrwoman, can you hear me?" she asked. Rentus looked over in her direction.

"Kalin… take N'kret… to an empty storage room… place guards by it… and keep it locked… until we can… give him a proper… trial…" Kalin nodded and stood.

"Let's go guys," she said and led the way while D'ret and Ch'ser led the kicking and screaming N'kret away. Orisia went with them to get some numbweed and fellis, while Nysil and Loan kept watch over the queen and Weyrwoman.

xxx

"Get off of me! Get off! Bitch! Get off!" Kalin ignored N'kret. She wasn't even touching him in the first place.

"Shut up." Ch'ser said, tired of saying it. "You want to wake the rest of the Weyr that's gone back abed?"

"Maybe then they'll see the wrong in your action, you and that green-rider bitch!"

"Oh please do shut up," D'ret added, hitting him across the head. Kalin kept walking, down toward the store-rooms. It seemed to them that they had been walking for ages, when they finally made it to an empty one. Ch'ser and D'ret led N'kret to the back of the store-room and shoved him down so he was sitting and, by the time he had gotten up, shut the door and locked it.

"I sent Kita to go find some guards," Kalin said as they leaned against the door, which was being pounded on from the other side. The other two nodded.

"I can stay if you two want to go back," Ch'ser said. Kalin nodded, and D'ret soon after her. They both started walking back toward the Weyrwoman's weyr. Kalin was so tired that she didn't protest when D'ret stopped and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Follow me," he said and moved off to a far end of the Weyrbowl, into a cut in section that Kalin had never noticed before. She followed D'ret until he stopped, at the end of the section. It was large and rectangular, certainly large enough for four people to stand side-by-side. D'ret looked at Kalin.

"What?" She asked, looking at her long-time friend.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked. Kalin shook her head.

"No. This is all…"

"I know," D'ret said and pulled her into a hug. They held onto each other for the support the other offered, the friendship they felt, and for the need of another's touch.

"Are you better now?" D'ret asked, still not letting her go. Kalin nodded.

"At least, for the moment." D'ret nodded and let her go now, but slipped one arm around her shoulder. Kalin put one around his waist. "Come on," Kalin said and they began to walk back, once again, to the Weyrwoman's weyr.

xxx

_Mine? Rentus?_

_Arestath? Arestath! Are you all right?_

_I will be all right. Orisia has come back with numbweed and fellis. Nysil and Loan will help you and Orisia will help me._

_All right._ Rentus opened her eyes and saw Loan tending to some of her wounds.

"Weyrwoman? I have some fellis for you," Nysil said, offering a cup. Rentus nodded weakly. She opened her mouth and let Nysil pour the sleep-bringing drink into her mouth. She swallowed, then quickly drifted off.

xxx

Orisia looked up from tending Arestath and looked at Loan, who was slowly bandaging the gash on Rentus's arm. "So, Rentus is really your mother?" Loan nodded, still tending the wound.

"And that… man… was your father?" Again Loan nodded. Orisia looked back at Arestath's wing. "And I never knew Kalin could be that…"

"Infuriated?" Nysil offered.

"Yes." Orisia sighed then jumped when D'ret and Kalin walked into the room.

"How is Arestath?" Kalin asked, walking over.

"She'll live, but I'll have to get a dragon healer to look at that wing." Kalin nodded.

_It's all right mine. Rest._ Faith told her rider. Kalin smiled to herself, then slumped against Arestath's chest and quickly fell asleep.

**A/N: Again, sorry for taking so long. And how about a vote, whether Arestath will be able to fly again or not. I can't decide. Soooo yeah**

**-- Neko signing out! **


	11. Chapter Nine: Recovery and Strife

A/N: I really do feel bad about all of my procrastination

**A/N: I really do feel bad about all of my procrastination... I really truly do... -sad face- Anyway... yeah... next chapter...**

**UPDATE: 9/30/2008: I realized that I made an error. Loan still does not have full use of her sight and I said that she could see clearly or something like that, which has been fixed.**

Chapter Nine: Recovery and Strife

_Mine?_ The voice softly prodded Kalin's mind. She was aware that she was leaning against something that smelled draconic, but it wasn't Faith. She slowly stirred from sleep, to see the grayish-golden hide that she was leaning against. She bolted up. Sunlight was streaming into the room she was in, which wasn't her weyr.

_Faith?_ Kalin asked, then realized where she was. She looked up at Arestath and saw that her wing had been splinted and the membrane sewn together. She appeared to be sleeping as well.

"Green-rider! You're up!" Kalin looked over to where the voice came from. There a shorter, plumper woman with long gray hair braided tightly around her head, holding large rolls of gauze and balancing a pot of numbweed, all with a tray of food coming into the room.

"Lorleru?" Kalin asked, her head still fuzzy from the night's previous wine, festivities and terrors. Had she just become a dragonrider little less than a day ago?

"Why yes! Rentus bid me down to see that you got up and had some breakfast. I also need to tend to Arestath's wing. Eat up. Eat up, then go see your dragon. No doubt she is missing you."

_Have you been missing me Faith? I am so sorry for leaving you all night love._

_I do miss you, but I understand. Eat, then come and see me._

Kalin graciously accepted the food. There was some klah and a nice bowl of porridge. She murmured her thanks between scoops of the food and sips of the klah. By the time she had finished the food, Arestath's wing had been reapplied with numbweed and some of the smaller cuts had been patched with gauze. The queen was now awake and looking intently at Kalin.

_Thank you, Kalin. You saved my rider's life._

_I was only doing my duty to the Weyr, and to you, Arestath._

_But you did more than was necessary and more than was expected of a green rider._

_I thank you for your praise Arestath. And you do look more grey than gold at the moment. I can have someone bring food._

_That would be greatly appreciated. Again, I, and my rider, thank you._ Kalin felt the connection with the great queen break off. She looked around. Lorleru was gone. Kalin smiled and stood, stretching sore muscles. She really did need to see Faith. And bathe.

"Farewell Arestath. I shall return to see that you have been fed and that you are well."

_Go well, Kalin._ Kalin turned and walked out of the Weyrwoman's weyr, across the Hatching Grounds, and into the Weyrbowl, where she could see a green shape coming down to greet her.

Kalin ran towards her dragon and, when she had landed, threw her arms around Faith's neck and let out her long held in tears.

xxx

"Loan?"

Loan slowly became aware that the voice was not in her head, not a dream, and not her dragon. She slowly, groggily, opened her eyes. Two forms were there, appearing to be smiling, hold a tray of wonderful smelling things.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Ch'ser said, smiling. "We've been drafted, by Lorleru. She went to tend Kalin. D'ret got saddled with helping in the infirmary." Loan nodded, vaguely aware of what was happening.

_Wake up! A little consciousness would do the trick here!_ Quanoth's voice rang in her head, making Loan blink her eyes rapidly and shake her head to try to clear it.

_Thank you, dear heart._ She said and looked at the boys again. "You say you have food?"

"Indeed. R'skel, show her the royal feast."

R'skel walked forward and laid a tray with a bowl of porridge and a cup of klah on the bed beside her. She had only begun to eat when D'ret walked in.

"Did I miss much?" he asked. "I just was shoved out of the infirmary. Too many people they said." He sighed and looked at Loan and waved. She shook her head at him and he grinned. "Does anyone know if Kalin is up yet?"

_She is. She and Faith are together in the Weyrbowl._ Turyth told his rider. _Faith comforts her rider._ D'ret nodded. He looked at the rest of them.

"I'm going to go see that Kalin gets here in one piece," he said and, with a wave to the rest of them, walked out of Loan's weyr. His hands in his pockets and whistling, he walked into the Weyrbowl to see a female form clinging to a green dragon that he well recognized. He walked up to Kalin and Faith.

Kalin looked up and saw him and, at once, wiped her eyes and sniffed. "IwasjusttalkingtoFaithIwasgoingtoberightupIswear!" She said in all one breath. D'ret shook his head. She sniffed again and put her arms around Faith's head again. D'ret put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kalin..." he said, not sure of what to say. She detached herself from Faith and threw her arms around D'ret, needing the comfort of a friend. He held her close as she cried again, until her tears ran out and she took long, shuddering breaths. She looked at him.

"I got your shirt wet..." she said, her voice hoarse. He laughed and kissed the top of her head, in a very brotherly like way. He saw Kalin's eyes go out of focus for a moment as she bespoke her dragon. However, her head suddenly whipped around.

"ORNAITH!" She cried with a terrible, heart-wrenching cry. D'ret looked up to see a brown shape go into the sky and, suddenly, disappear. A dreadful keen filled the Weyr. Kalin clung to D'ret as new sobs racked her body. "N'kret... why? Why?" She kept moaning.

_Bring her to Loan's weyr. Quickly mine!_ Turyth said to his rider. D'ret nodded and scooped up Kalin, cradling her. He made his way to Loan's weyr and found the door open. He walked in and placed Kalin on the now empty bed, where Loan had been sitting. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What happened?" D'ret gasped to Loan, who was sitting in a chair, looking stricken.

"We... don't know. Ch'ser and R'skel went to check on... N'kret..." She said, staring at the wall. "What happened to Kalin?"

"I think she... felt Ornaith go _between_..." He shuddered.

"Damn him!" came the shout from the hallway. D'ret recognized Ch'ser's voice. He looked out of the door in time to see Ch'ser punch a wall three times before sinking to the ground. "Damn him... the bastard..."

D'ret rushed to his friend's side. "What?"

"N'kret... cut his own throat... He killed his own dragon! He is a murderer! He... he..." He seemed unable to suppress his rage and again punched the wall. Bitter tears ran down his face. D'ret herd smaller footsteps and looked up in time to see R'skel stumble. He rushed forward and caught the younger boy before he fell.

"Why...why..." R'skel sobbed. Then Nysil rushed up.

"Ikith said-" but she stopped when she saw her brother. "R'skel!" She rushed forward and took her brother from D'ret.

"Take him into Loan's," D'ret said and moved toward Ch'ser. "Ch'ser, get up. Come to Loan's weyr. We are all there. Come on." He helped his friend up and into Loan's weyr. He sat Ch'ser down in a chair and surveyed the scene. Nysil and R'skel were crying together. Loan was still sitting, silent tears streaking down her face. Ch'ser had gotten up and was feebly punching the wall again. Kalin was still on the bed, immobile. Quanoth had flown out to the ledge and was meeting with Ikith, Faith, Verith, Kineth, and his own Turyth. D'ret let out a sigh that turned into a choked sob. He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands.

He felt a small hand rest on his knee and looked to see Kalin, her eyes red and puffy, tear-streaks running down her face, looking at him. Another tear ran down her cheek and he reached to brush it away. Then he took her own hand and they cried together. The six friends stayed together throughout the day and mourned together.

A while later, as the sun was high in the sky, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Loan called, her voice thick. The door opened and Rentus, assisted by Lorleru, walked in. Ch'ser got up at once, letting the Weyrwoman have her seat.

"Loan... I owe you an explanation..." Rentus started looking at her fellow queen-rider.

"No you don't." Loan said. "It's okay, mother."

"You have no idea how long I wished for you to say that..." Rentus said, and looked at the six mourning riders. "How is Kalin?" she asked.

"Not well..." D'ret said. He looked down. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, Kalin's head in his lap. "She hasn't stopped crying since..." He trailed off and brushed a stray piece of hair off her face. "She felt Ornaith... leave." Rentus bowed her head.

"I am so sorry to have to put you all through this... you are all so young... and I should be asking about R'skel..." she turned to look at the youth, who was still clinging to his sister.

"I'll be all right... Weyrwoman..." R'skel said, his voice still choked. "I just keep thinking of Verith and... how I would never ever want to... lose him..." Nysil stroked his head. A thump was heard.

"That... complete..." Thump. "Total" Thump. "Sharding" Thump. "Bastard!" Ch'ser had started punching the wall again. Loan walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

Rentus stood. "I am a stranger here. Call if you have need..." She took one last look at them, and walked out of the room.

_We are all here. We will never leave you._ The draconic message was played again and again in the youths' heads by their dragons.

_Maybe this is all a bad dream..._ D'ret thought.

_This is no dream mine. The pain, the hurt, the sadness... it is all real. But I am not a dream either. I am here and I always will be. I will _never_ leave you._

_Turyth..._ D'ret looked at Kalin. Her face twitched as if she was reliving some painful experience. "Shh. It's all right Kalin. We're all here..." D'ret said, gently stroking her head.

"I know..." Came the whisper from Kalin. "But so is the pain..."

**A/N: Sad... so sad... but also moving the plot forward, believe it or not... this is all going somewhere. I **_**promise**_**. Till next time!**

**Hopekills16: Thanks for your vote! And you will find out!**

**ginalee: Thanks for your vote too! :-) **

**OnyxDrake: Thanks for your criticism, really. It makes me a better writer in the end... I hope XD**

**--Signing out! Neko**


	12. Chapter Ten: A Glimmer of Hope

A/N: -insert desired excuse here- Moving on

**A/N: How do I express my absolute apologizes for just leaving this alone for so long? I am truly terribly sorry. Life got so busy and I kept putting it off and… -sigh- I truly am sorry. But here's Chapter 10! )**

**Chapter 10: A Glimmer of Hope**

Kalin awoke in several times in the middle of the night that first night. The others had been scattered around the room. She had seen Nysil and R'skel seeking comfort from one another, Ch'ser and Loan embracing, Loan crying softly, and she had seen D'ret next to her, holding her lightly, protectively.

D'ret.

Friends.

Loss.

_I am here._

Kalin had drifted off to sleep each time.

And when she finally, fully awoke, sunlight was streaming into Loan's weyr, illuminating the corners of the room. Kalin slowly extracted herself from D'ret's embrace and walked to the large window. She saw Faith on the ledge, along with the other dragons.

_Are you all right?_ Faith asked her rider.

_No. It hurts... so much._

_I know. We all hurt. I am here._

_Don't ever leave me Faith._

_I will never leave you, mine._ Kalin heard Faith croon. She let a small smile grace her face for a moment.

"Kalin?" The small whispered voice came from D'ret, who was stirring on the bed. She turned and looked at him.

"Sleep. I'll be off on a walk. I'll have Kita with me. Tort and Sukai will be around. I'll be back later." She walked over to the bed and embraced him once, putting many unsaid things into the hug. He hugged her back briefly then let her go.

Kalin turned and walked quietly out of the weyr. Faith would meet her in the Weyrbowl. Just a quick ride to the lake. She needed to relax.

Her green dragon _was_ waiting in the large Weyrbowl when Kalin arrived. Kalin jumped up and held on tightly to her dragon as Faith took to the air and flew silently to the lake. She landed and Kalin slid off, sitting on the beach.

It was just a little bit away form the Weyr, but already clouds were beginning to fill the sky.

_It won't rain..._ Faith said, off-handedly. Kalin nodded and pulled her knees up to her chest. Faith curled around her, putting her draconic head on her front legs. _But if it does, you will stay dry._

A dry breeze blew cold air off of the lake, bringing with it the scent of winter. It would soon be cold, and then it would snow. Kalin leaned against Faith and sighed.

So much had gone on this past year or so. Loan losing her sight, then in this past day or two, Rentus getting attacked and... N'kret destroying two lives. Kalin felt another tear roll down her face.

"And I've only been a dragonrider for... two days."

_You've ridden me and have been mine for much longer, _Faith said.

"Yes, but an _official_ rider..." She picked up a rock and threw it into the lake. Kita chirped from above and flew down, landing on Faith's neck ridge. Kalin let out another sigh.

"And there is D'ret..." It was one thing to only tell your self that you felt for someone... quite another to admit it out loud, even if said person wasn't present.

_He is a fine rider. And Turyth is a fine dragon._

"Yes... but he's something more than 'fine' to me," Kalin said. "He's more than my brother... he's... he's... Oh Shards Faith..."

"'Shards' what?"

Kalin jumped to her feet and whirled around. D'ret was standing there, his black hair tousled by the ride over. Turyth was settling himself next to Faith. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, never meaning for her words to come out as sharp as they did.

"If you want me to go..."

"No. I'm sorry. You frightened me is all." She sat back down again. D'ret, instead of sitting by his dragon, walked over and sat by Kalin.

"Now, 'Shards' what?" He asked, smiling. Kalin looked at him and smiled back, but it did not reach her eyes.

"Oh, nothing."

"You are a terrible liar, I hope you know that." Kalin blushed. "Now, give."

"You," she whispered in the tiniest of voices. What had possessed her to say it, she never knew, but she had.

"Me?" D'ret asked.

"You," she said, a little stronger. "You are what I was 'Sharding' about. You. Every inch of you." She was on a roll now. All of her words were letting loose. "You are... incredible. I... D'ret, I..." It suddenly rushed to her what she was saying. Her mouth clamped shut and she looked at the sandy beach that she was sitting on, her face burning.

But suddenly, a new warmth spread over her body when D'ret lightly put his arm about her shoulders. She looked up into his bright blue eyes. "Shards," was all he said.

"'Shards' what?" Kalin asked, weakly. He smiled at her.

"You."

Their eyes locked. There was something in his that glittered even in the now cloudy day. Warmth spread again as he tentatively put one hand on her cheek then slowly, very slowly, leaned closer to her.

Kalin didn't know what was going on until it happened. She didn't understand what D'ret was talking about, until he explained it with one thing. He leaned in and kissed her lightly on her mouth. For a moment, Kalin froze, until she heard Faith's croon, awakening her from her shock. It was then that she felt the frantic fluttering in her stomach and was very much aware of how D'ret's lips felt on hers.

Then, she was kissing him back.

When they pulled away, Kalin's eyes were glistening. One tear fell down her cheek. D'ret brushed it away with his thumb. His eyes were worried.

"Are you... all right?" he asked. Kalin choked out a sob and nodded, putting her head in her hands. It was all too much right now. All of her emotions were mixing together; everything was spiraling out of control. Sadness, loss, anger, happiness, love...

Love.

That feeling suddenly burst through all the rest, as D'ret wrapped his strong arms around her, holding her close. She sobbed into his chest, overwhelmed with everything that was going on. There was only so much someone could take. Finally, her tears dried. D'ret still held her close.

"Better?" He asked. His voice was thick, like he had been crying himself. Kalin pulled away slightly and looked into his face. She nodded. Her eyes were red and puffy. He laughed and kissed her head. "You don't look better."

"I feel better," Kalin said. D'ret smiled. He looked like he was about to lean in for another kiss, when Turyth bugled loudly. They both jumped in surprise.

_Quanoth rises! _Turyth said to both D'ret and Kalin. _Quanoth rises in flight!_ Kalin looked at D'ret. There was a question in her eyes. D'ret's held no answer. Turyth looked at his rider. _I am strong! I will chase!_

"No," Kalin whispered and looked at D'ret. She didn't want to lose him. He looked back.

"I have to go. Keep Faith away. We don't want any... accidents." He looked at her for a moment, something unsaid in his eyes. "Kalin, I..."

"Go," Kalin said. D'ret nodded and vaulted onto Turyth's back. Turyth leaped into the sky.

xxx

D'ret looked at the scene before him. "Land Turyth!" He yelled. Turyth did so quickly and D'ret jumped off his back. Turyth bugled again and launched himself into the air. D'ret looked up into the sky. He could see the many dragons in the sky above him. He looked at the other riders and out of his class, recognized Ch'ser, S'lye, rider of bronze Veriroth, M'xim, rider of bronze Tasirth and several others. There were many senior riders as well.

He then saw Loan. She looked so small, standing alone, looking up, looking scared. Her eyes were blank and unseeing, even more than usual. He made his way over, other riders following. Ch'ser walked beside him. His eyes were glazed over and suddenly, D'ret didn't feel like himself. He... he was Turyth!

xxx

He was behind, he knew that. But she was so lovely. And she would be his. He was stronger than many of the others here. Then again, there were others stronger than him as well. He passed several smaller bronzes until he was near the middle of the pack. Better.

She pulled up and shot straight up, her form outlined grey clouds. He followed while some of the other young dragons missed her move and were lost from the pack. Now many of the oldest bronzes had left the chase as well. Kineth was doing well. So was Kelth. Turyth roared and shot higher, following with every ounce of strength he had left. His wings ached. He strained forward as suddenly, Quanoth folded her wings at her side and plummeted, many of the more experienced bronzes, such as Kelth, following quickly. Kineth faltered for a moment before following as well. However, exhausted as he was, Turyth missed the move. He bellowed his annoyance and turned as quickly as he could, but by the time he had started to descend after the golden beauty, he saw several bronze necks reach out and…

xxx

When Loan opened her eyes she had to blink several times to make out the hazy form beside her. And still it was hard. It was dark and the said form was facing away from her.

_Quanoth?_ She asked tentatively.

_I am here. I am here._

Loan was about to ask who in the name of great Faranth was beside herwhen suddenly the person in question groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Veriroth?" the man asked quietly, still thinking that his bed partner was asleep.

_S'lye! _Loan's mind exploded. She knew D'bur well. He had been one of her childhood friends in the Weyr, running around on escapades with her. She was quiet as he bespoke his dragon before sitting up a little and putting a hand on his shoulder. His head whipped around, and Loan could barely make out the slightest hint of a blush.

"By the first shell…" S'lye said quietly.

"So it was Veriroth?" Loan asked quietly. S'lye nodded. She could feel that he was nervous. "S'lye, I'm glad it was you." And she truly meant it.

_So am I._ Quanoth said to her rider.

xxx

"Faith?" Kalin asked later, when the clouds had dissipated. It seems she had fallen asleep, and soundly. Had she slept through the whole flight?

_Amazingly, yes. Perhaps it was good for you: not experiencing a flight through the eyes of so many._

"Who caught her?" Kalin asked, not waiting for Faith to finish her previous sentence. There was a slight pause in which Kalin's heart dropped to her toes.

_Bronze Veriroth_. Kalin's sigh of relief was so deep that it hurt.

"S'lye? He's a good rider."

_And Veriroth is strong. But D'ret makes you feel like the world is normal. When you are with him, you are happy, so I am happy._

Kalin looked at her green and smiled when suddenly a familiar shape burst from _between_. Kalin watched as Turyth spiraled down and landed softly not far away from Faith. Kalin jumped up and raced to meet D'ret as he jumped off of his striped dragon's back. He embraced her and breathed deeply.

They stood there, on the sandy, cold, fall beach for several moments. Both of them felt that even if Turyth had won, they both would have survived. They also both felt immense peace.

"I heard it was S'lye and Veriroth," Kalin said. D'ret gave her an inquisitive look. "Not _heard_. Faith told me." D'ret nodded.

"S'lye's a good rider with a good head on his shoulders. And Veriroth is strong and the biggest bronze from our class. Plus I know that he and Loan were childhood friends, and one might almost say 'sweethearts.'" D'ret moved them so that they were sitting, leaning against each other and their dragons. "Kalin," D'ret started to say but she quieted him by leaning closely against him.

"It's alright. We both know that there is a good chance that Turyth may catch another… He is strong and is perfectly capable."

"But we both also know that… once Faith rises…" he trailed off, looking at the lake. Kalin stood abruptly.

She hadn't thought of what would happen when Faith rose. They all had been lectured at about Flights: green, gold and otherwise. The lesson had left her mind. But now, after Quanoth's flight… the inevitable Flight of Faith looked even more and more menacing and terrifying. She was shaking when she felt D'ret's arms wrap around her from behind.

"Today… was the most unexplainable thing I have ever experienced, Kalin. You are the most beautiful and one of the strongest women I have ever known. I know that you're…" he trailed off, at a loss for words. Kalin sighed.

"I need to get back to my weyr and get some rest," she said and quickly broke D'ret's embrace and vaulted onto Faith's back. Faith lifted into the air with a rumble of unease before winking _between_ at Kalin's command.

**A/N: Well there you go! Finally and I swear that the next chapter will be up soon. If it isn't I give all of you permission to… idk…**

**hopekills16: You're very welcome! I am very thankful that people take the time to comment, and in some cases critique my writing. So as an author, thank you.**

**leopard.123: Are things happier enough for you? ) And I am very very very sorry that this took so long, but at least you know a little more of what happened!**

**Once again, this is Neko, signing out!**


	13. Chapter 11: A Talk with Old Friends

A/N: So I would like to thank you all for ignoring the fact that I am such a procrastinator and after one night of the story being up my total hits jumping up by 150

**A/N: So I would like to thank you all for ignoring the fact that I am such a procrastinator and after one night of the story being up my total hits jumping up by 150!! Thank you so so so much! And now onto the next chapter!!**

Chapter 11

A Talk with Old Friends

Loan looked at Quanoth. It had been about a month since her golden queen had risen and she was beginning to look egg heavy. Loan smiled and gave a little giggle. Her sight had improved by leaps and bounds so that only faraway shapes were blurry and distorted. Also, Arestath had begun to fly again. There was a general feeling of peace over the Weyr. In many places where Thread would fall this time of year, it was so cold that it froze. Winter in the far north was definitely good for the Weyr.

_You are happy. I am happy,_ Quanoth said, nudging her rider, her eyes dark green with contentment. Loan hugged her queen's head.

"Loan?"

She looked up to see S'lye walking into the room. She smiled and walked to meet him in an embrace. "Quanoth looks well," he said, inclining his head towards the large queen. Quanoth rumbled and blinked.

"Yes. She is starting to look like she is carrying eggs. Hopefully a large clutch."

"Let's not count our eggs before they hatch," S'lye said, smiling. Loan smiled as well. She leaned her head against his chest and sighed. All was well.

xxx

Kalin sat in the dark of her room, the shutters of her window closed against the cold. She wore thick furs and her breath clouded the air when she breathed.

_Kalin, come out of there!_ Faith demanded. Kalin said nothing. Ever since the death of N'kret and Ornaith and the other events of the Weyr, Kalin had mostly shut herself in the dark, blocking out all draconic voices, sitting in silence. Tort, Sukai and Kita were all perched on a ledge that was near the ceiling of the room, silent. Kalin had disabled the heater and not lit a fire in ages. She had simply cut herself off from the world.

So Faith decided to take things into her own hands. If her rider wouldn't listen to her… perhaps she'd listen to someone else. She launched herself from the Weyr Ledge and circled a few times before landing next to Myriath and Kelth. She explained to them her problem and they both agreed to help, as did their riders. Orisia and S'ryc both started up the steps to Kalin's high weyr. The three dragons flew over and landed nearby as well.

Then, on some predetermined signal, both S'ryc and Orisia began to band on the door and all three dragons called out, _LET US IN KALIN!_ All while bellowing.

Kalin nearly jumped out of her furs. Tort, Kita and Sukai started flying excitedly around the room.

_Coming!_ She responded, more out of shock than anything else. Jumping up, she opened the huge window so that Faith could come in, then her door, letting Orisia and S'ryc in as well. Kalin turned to her dragon and the next things she knew she was hugging Faith so hard she was afraid that she might hurt her darling green.

_Can you ever forgive me, Faith? I am so sorry, dear heart._

_I love you, Kalinmine,_ Faith said. Orisia looked at S'ryc and smiled.

"Kalin?" he asked, walking forward and putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get some heat going. Orisia, call for some _klah_ and some food." Orisia nodded and exited the room. S'ryc found the heating vent and opened it fully. Then he skillfully started a fire. Soon, the cold had been banished from the room, Kalin had taken off her warm furs and Orisia had returned with a pot of _klah_ and some fruit rolls.

"So tell me Kalin," Orisia said after she had time to eat a little. "Why did you lock yourself up here?"

Kalin looked at Faith and went to sit by her. "I didn't want to feel the pain anymore."

"Of… Ornaith leaving?" S'ryc asked. Kalin nodded.

"And then Quanoth's rising got me thinking about Faith's eventual rising and…" she paused. "I realized that I would have no control over it or who…" she broke off into silence.

I was several moments before Orisia spoke. "Did you know that even though she's female, Myriath is of brown rank?" Kalin shook her head. "When she hatched and was just as big as any brown, they put her there. So when she was getting ready to rise, no one knew who would chase or what it would be like. I was terrified. But on the day she rose for the first time, she had bronzes chasing her! Bronzes to blues. But her flight was almost as long as a queen flight. It was new and when the males were chasing…" she trailed off, unable to put words to it. At that moment, however, S'ryc put his arm around Orisia's waist.

"Kelth caught her," Kalin said. Orisia nodded. Kalin couldn't help but smile.

"Kalin, you can't live in fear of the future. Go for a fly on Faith. Think a bit, but not so much. As your Wingleader, I told Faith that if your mind even starts to wander that way, she's to bring you back home," S'ryc said. Kalin nodded and vaulted onto Faith's back.

_Let's go, Faith!_ Kalin said. Faith bugled and launched herself into the air.

xxx

_There goes Kalin with Faith,_ Turyth said, looking out of the large, bronze-dragon sized window in D'ret's weyr. D'ret jumped off and looked out the window just in time to see Kalin look back then wink _between_.

"Where are they going?"

_Faith said flying. Kelth says we must not go after her._ Turyth turned his head to look at D'ret. _You want to follow them though._

"Yes. However, if S'ryc says…" he trailed off and turned back to his desk. He was writing a letter to his parents, a letter he planned on delivering personally. It had been some time since he had been to his childhood home.

_Are we going flying too?_ Turyth asked, as D'ret sealed his letter shut.

"Yes. I'll get your straps on." He quickly suited himself and his dragon up before mounting. Turyth launched himself into the sky before going _between_.

xxx

"Come now Rayine, I made him swear that he'd visit. A dragon rider's very busy though."

"Broan, you don't understand! I miss my little Deret…"

"He's D'ret now, woman! He's a Sharding dragon rider!"

D'ret looked into his old family hold and saw his parents standing, looking crossly at each other. "And my dragon's name is Turyth, in case you had forgotten," he piped up, smiling at his mother's reaction.

"DERET!" She shouted and next thing D'ret knew, his mother had wrapped her arms around his neck. "Deret, I'm so glad you came! I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Mother. And you Father."

"What took you so Sharding long to visit? Your mother was worried sick," Broan said, his voice gruff. "And I know your dragon's name perfectly well! You boy never learned to mind us." Broan stalked off into another room. Rayine was crying into his shirt now. D'ret wrapped his arms around his mother.

"Do you want to come meet Turyth?" he asked her after she had calmed down a bit. She nodded emphatically. D'ret led her outside to the hold square where Turyth was surrounded by hoards of fascinated people, both children and adults. D'ret smiled, looking at a small boy and girl who were standing at the back of the pack.

_Who are all of these people?_ Turyth asked.

_I never thought of you as shy, Turyth! This is where I grew up._ He looked at the small children again. _They remind me of… well Kalin and I when we were young._ He took his mother's arm and parted the crowd.

_Who is this?_ Turyth asked.

"Turyth, this is my mother, Rayine."

"It's a pleasure, Turyth," Rayine said in her small, meek voice.

_It is an honor to meet the mother of my rider,_ Turyth said to both D'ret and Rayine. Rayine faltered and almost collapsed.

"He spoke to me!"

"Dragons can speak to whomever they want!" D'ret said. His mother smiled and embraced him.

"Thank you. I'll go tend to your father now." She turned and walked back through the crowd, but only after D'ret had pressed the letter into her hands. He then turned to the thinning crowd. They all assumed that he was leaving. Except for the two small children. D'ret walked up to them.

"What are your names?" he asked them.

"I'm Sermory," the girl said. "And this is my brother, Shyzon. He can't speak, dragon rider. So he tells me what to say by writing it or something. Your dragon, Turyth, was talking to him earlier."

_He was lonely, unable to talk to anyone. Except for me. So I spoke to him._

"It's been a pleasure to meet you both. I expect I shall see you two again when I return." He put a hand on each of their heads. Then he turned and gracefully ran and vaulted onto Turyth's back.

_Until we meet again, Shyzon and Sermory,_ Turyth said, before launching himself into the air. They circled the Far North hold several times before D'ret envisioned the Weyr and the pair of them went _between_.

xxx

A little while later, D'ret lounged in his weyr, thinking about Sermory and Shyzon. They had to be only about nine or ten turns. And it was obvious that Sermory was the elder of the two.

_I liked them,_ Turyth said. D'ret smiled. _Faith and Kalin return. Faith is dropping Kalin off here. I shall go to the ledge with Faith._ D'ret looked up to see Turyth go out of the room and Faith deposit her rider.

Kalin looked as beautiful as ever. In these past few years she really had grown into a strong woman.

"Hi," she said softly, looking at D'ret. She seemed paler than normal, but that was probably because she had been locked in her room for a bit.

D'ret crossed the room in two long strides and took Kalin in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry, D'ret," she said.

D'ret only hugged her harder.

**A/N: So? Good, bad? I don't even know… )**

**Amere Mortal: Is this soon enough for you? ) Thanks for the "encouragement"!**


	14. Chapter 12: A New Beginning

**A/N: -ducks and hides from thrown objects- I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry!!! Omg how can I ever express how extremely sorry I am for keeping you waiting for so long!! AH! I give you all full permission to yell at me if you want… or even threaten me… =( But here's the next chapter! Better late than never, right? Or is it better never late…**

Chapter 12: A New Beginning

Loan breathed deeply, savoring the bite of the cold night air. She loved the winter time. She slowly got up, grabbing a warm, fur robe as she did, careful not to disturb S'lye. Quanoth raised her head and looked at her rider. The room wasn't as cold as it could be, thanks to the new heating system and the fire going in the hearth. Loan walked to a small window and looked out its glass pane, wondering at the snow that was falling. In the light of the few glow baskets in the bowl, the snow seemed almost like an eerie ghostly thing.

However, as much as she loved the winter, Loan was worried. This winter was especially cold and with Quanoth so near to clutching, Loan was anxious for the eggs' well being. She would make sure that the sands were warm enough. Perhaps they would even cover the high, vaulted Hatching Grounds with canvas from sails to prevent snow from getting in.

_My children will be fine. They will be strong,_ Quanoth said, sounding tired. Loan turned and put a hand on her queen's head.

_I know they will, dear heart. I still can't help but worry._ She sighed and walked back over to the bed, took off her robe, and crawled under the warm fur blanket, letting S'lye wrap his arms around her. She slowly drifted back to sleep.

xxx

Loan was not the only inhabitant of the Weyr who was worried. Rentus also sat up, leaning against her golden beauty, wondering how she would react to Arestath's next flight. It had been quite some time, nearly two turns, since she had last rose and she was still young. People had begun to question Rentus's ability as Weyrwoman and Arestath's ability as a breeding queen.

_Ignore them. They are wrong._

Rentus sighed at Arestath's words. "And now Quanoth has her own clutch. Not that I am opposed to Loan being Weyrwoman, but Arestath you are the senior queen, whether you rise or not!"

_Then why do you worry?_

"I don't know. It's a human thing to do…"

_And if Loan does become Weyrwoman, S'lye will make a good Weyrleader. He is strong._

"I know he is. He would make a fine Weyrleader." Rentus yawned. A deep pit in her soul suddenly burned hot with pain. Hot tears formed in her eyes as she began to sob into her queen. "Oh, why did D'las have to die?" she cried. "Why did he have to go?" Her heart broke once more at the memory of it. She cried and cried until she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder.

_Rentus…_

She looked up and gasped in shock.

"D'las?"

The ghost of the Weyrleader smiled and reached out to brush the tear off of Rentus's cheek. _It's me._

"But… that's impossible!"

_Weren't you told the legends of the "snow ghosts" as a child?_

"Yes. You and I told them to each other all the time."

_Then I am a Snow Ghost._

"But that was just a story for weyrbrats! It's not real!"

_Then what am I?_

"A figment of my imagination… you can't be here!"

_But I am. And I always have been. Rentus, I still love you._

"D'las I never stopped loving you. Never."

_I know._ The ghost turned to look at Arestath. _And I see that Toranth's children are doing well._

_Yes, they are,_ Arestath said. _His daughter, Quanoth, just rose in a successful flight. We await her clutch. Many of them are quite well._

_That is good._ The ghost turned once more to the still shocked Rentus. _You still don't believe I am here._

"This is a dream."

_No. It is not. I am here. Shards, Rentus! _That was the D'las she knew, getting frustrated with her for not understanding. Even as Weyrlings, they had both been like that. Rentus put her head in her hands, still unable to believe. The ghost of D'las sighed. _I must go now. Remember Rentus, I love you. I will love you for all of time._ Rentus looked up in time to see the ghost press his fingers to his lips in a goodbye, then vanish with a gust of wind.

xxx

The next morning was a bitterly cold one, so much so that many of the dragonriders slept in later than usual in an attempt to wait for the sun to rise more. However, they were thwarted by the day being overcast, windy, and snowy. Kalin was one of the first to rise. She looked out one of the glass paned windows and was amazed that she couldn't see the bowl; the snow was blowing so hard. She looked over her shoulder to see D'ret, asleep in the hard, wooden chair, wrapped up in a fur blanket. His breath formed little clouds as he breathed. He had insisted that she take the bed, since neither of them wanted to leave the other. The two dragons in the weyr, even though it was extremely cramped, kept them warm. But even now the chilling wind had come into the room. Faith opened her eyes.

_We had a visitor last night,_ she said, with mild unconcern.

_Oh? Who?_

_D'las. And Toranth._

Kalin stopped, shocked. _But they're both dead! Toranth went _between_ when D'las died!_

_Yes, but last night they returned. You were aware. You kept talking to Toranth in your sleep._

_I did?_ Kalin closed her eyes but could only remember the feeling that she had a strange dream. Perhaps that was it. She sighed. _That is unexpected. Does the Weyr know?_

_No. Only Rentus saw D'las. She did not know Toranth was here. _

Kalin sighed again. Faith never ceased to amaze her. For a green dragon, Faith had an amazing memory and great perspicacity. She was extremely empathetic and bright. Kalin smiled and walked up to her dragon, hugging her head. A yawn behind her interrupted the moment.

"Morning," D'ret said, stretching. Kalin turned and smiled at him.

"Good morning, sleepy head." She walked over to him. "Cold?"

"Not really," he said, snuggling deep under the fur blanket. He pretended to close his eyes and fall back asleep.

_Faith, call Tort and Sukai in,_ Kalin said with a wicked grin. The two flits appeared and slowly crept up around the head of the chair. D'ret still pretended to be asleep. Kalin nodded to Tort and Sukai who immediately screeched in D'ret's ear. He jumped up with a yell and fell on the floor, clutching his chest. Kalin burst out laughing and hand to fall back onto the bed to keep from falling flat on her face. Faith and Turyth rumbled with laughter. D'ret slowly got off the floor and looked Kalin, who was still laughing her head off.

"Oh, you find that funny, do you?" he asked, getting a wicked grin himself. "How about this?" He jumped on the bed and started to tickle Kalin. She tired to get away from him but he held on and kept tickling.

"D'ret! D'ret, stop!" she said in-between gasps for air. He laughed and kept tickling her until Tort came up and pulled on his air with his talons.

"Ow! You sharding flit! Get off me!" Tort screeched in D'ret's face and let go. He flew and perched on Faith's head. Suddenly Kita flew in and scolded D'ret, then Tort. Sukai stayed off on the bed post. Kalin gigged and sat up. D'ret was rubbing his head where Tort had grabbed him. He looked at Kalin.

_It is good to hear you laugh again,_ Faith said, rumbling with happiness.

_It's good to have a reason to laugh again,_ Kalin responded.

_And now even more reason!_ Faith said, her voice filled with joy. She even let out a small warble. _Quanoth is clutching!_

xxx

Loan looked at the first few eggs that Quanoth had laid. They were a good size and healthy looking. An enormous smile broke onto Loan's face as she gazed at the eggs. All of her dreams were coming true. Her vision blurred for a moment, but not with her partial blindness, but with tears of pure ecstasy and joy. She felt S'lye come up behind her and wrap his arms around her.

"They are beautiful," he whispered into her ear. Loan smiled and nodded. She had never felt happier in her life, except for when she actually Impressed Quanoth. She had never felt more proud or humbled. So much had happened and now life was carrying on like normal. Smells of roasting meat traveled up from the kitchens. There would be a feast to remember tonight! She giggled to herself and looked at the eggs again. So far there were ten gleaming eggs. Loan could see drudges carrying wood down to the furnace under the Hatching Grounds to keep the sands warm. Liak flew in and landed on Loan's shoulder, cheeping. The flit had stayed by her side through these long turns, always her constant companion. And there hadn't been a flash for over two turns now. Another smile broke across Loan's face as Quanoth warbled her happiness to the cold morning sky.

**A/N: Okay so… yeah… I promise the next chapter will be up soon! I swear! I mean it! **

**Ginny Star: Well… I found time eventually! =) Thanks for sticking with it!**

**CrazyGunFire: Yeah… sorry it's been so long! XD My fault…**

**Sorry again!**

**--Neko signing out**


End file.
